


Calm After the Storm

by lilmaeval



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Character Study, Eventual crossdressing, M/M, Smoking, enemies to lovers to exes to lovers again
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:33:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 25,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27404344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilmaeval/pseuds/lilmaeval
Summary: When Nagisa and Kaoru decided to go on a double date with their boyfriends, they thought it would be a nice opportunity to grow closer as friends. What they weren’t expecting was for their partners to already know each other, and for their past to be cast in such a difficult light.
Relationships: Hakaze Kaoru/Sakuma Rei, Ran Nagisa/Tomoe Hiyori, Sakuma Rei/Tomoe Hiyori
Comments: 5
Kudos: 28





	1. Pink Skies

**Author's Note:**

> inb4 akira
> 
> No but please pay attention to the date this was posted, if in the eventual case we get interactions between Rei and Nagisa/Hiyori and it’s nothing like this just think of it as an AU, this is mostly just me hypothesizing about their dynamics based upon their personalities. It’s just for fun!l
> 
> Oh also this fic is tagged underage for mentions of underage sexual actions/drug use, but it’s all mentions, nothing explicit per the rating.
> 
> EDIT:  
> Ty to my good friend Calvin for drawing art of chap 3!! Rt and follow~  
> https://twitter.com/k0gaball/status/1324776680242774017?s=21
> 
> EDIT 2:  
> TYVM to Julian for drawing this stunning piece for chapter 4!! I'm super moved by how you captured their expressions and the lighting is just phenomenal, it's exactly as I pictured the scene. I don't have words to explain how pleasantly surprised I was to see this~ (*´ω｀*)  
> https://twitter.com/AMediocreArt/status/1337839821054734340?s=20

Kaoru checked the time on his phone with a sigh, scratching the back of his neck. The door to the bathroom opened, causing Kaoru’s spine to stiffen as he turned his head to see the person exiting. His eyes scanned the figure up and down, offering a smile when their eyes met.

“Looking sharp, Ran-kun!” Kaoru greeted. “That shade of red suits you.” He meant it entirely. Nagisa seemed to wear every color perfectly, but the burgundy slim fit jeans and matching scrunchie in his hair especially suited him. Worn over a black button up was a grey cable knit sweater which were both tucked in, meanwhile he held his creme coat in his right arm. The finishing touch of a fuzzy collar the same color as the coat tied the look together as a whole. Though his roommate’s body temperature was colder than most, he certainly knew how to dress warm in style.

“...Mm, thank you,” Nagisa returned, cupping his chin in-between his thumb and index finger as he studied Kaoru. “...Your relaxed style is fitting for you as always.” Kaoru had spent a little too long putting his own look together, so he was glad it didn’t appear that way. Chocolate brown corduroy pants held up by a belt with a chain were paired with a black and white button up with vertical stripes, collar opened to reveal the necklaces he wore. Over that was his beige sherpa jacket and a plaid scarf tucked in the pocket. Though he’d picked every piece out carefully, Kaoru reminded himself with a resigned sigh that it likely wouldn’t matter the moment Rei decided to make some sort of inappropriate comment.

“Thank you, thank you~” Kaoru grinned, checking his phone once more. “Ah, I guess I didn’t have to worry about how long it takes you to get ready after all. Both our dates are late.”

“...That’s unusual,” Nagisa remarked with a raised brow, looking towards the front door. “...Hiyori-kun does have a bad habit of showing up late to certain idol activities, but he’s always on time for personal meetings. I wonder what’s wrong.”

As if summoning those spoken about, there was a shriek on the other side of the dorm room door at the same time of a loud banging noise upon the wood. Kaoru and Nagisa shared a look before rushing over, the blonde being the one to open it. Stood just beyond the frame was not just one but both of their dates, looking not at the dorm entrance but instead at each other. Quite intensely, in fact. Kaoru felt a a shiver run down his spine while Nagisa shrugged his jacket over his shoulders, letting the sleeves hang by his arms.

Thankfully, the strange tension seemed to dissipate a few seconds later as both dates turned their attention to the opened door. Hiyori’s gaze immediately softened upon seeing Nagisa, his tense straightened lip lighting into the smile his beloved was most familiar with.

“Uwah~! Nagisa-kun, Nagisa-kun, we’re matching!” Hiyori ran forward with open arms as Nagisa extended his own out, the two meeting in a suffocatingly tight embrace that looked outright painful to the outside observer. Kaoru meanwhile couldn’t help but notice the man’s words were exactly correct. Wearing a fuzzy burgundy jacket and a white turtleneck underneath, the shades were almost the exact same as Nagisa. Meanwhile below he wore a pair of high-waisted houndstooth wide-legged pants and a rather stylish pair of high heeled boots. As expected, Hiyori Tomoe’s taste in fashion shined above all, and the fact that Nagisa matched him so well only elevated the both of them as a couple.

Comparatively, Kaoru noted he and Rei clashed a fair bit, and more than that, his boyfriend’s fashion sense felt both old-fashioned and too relaxed at the same time.

“Rei-kun,” Kaoru raised a brow as he pointed at the black drawstring pants the man wore, “are those pajama bottoms?”

“Hm?” Rei tore his gaze away from the other pair and smiled upon meeting Kaoru’s eyes. “Why, these are normal pants, Kaoru-kun. They are cropped above the ankle, see? They would need to be far longer to be suitable as nightclothes.”

“Aha,” Kaoru let out an awkward chuckle before shaking his head, “fine, fine. I guess they suit the rest of your outfit.” In truth, Kaoru was feeling a certain way looking at Rei at that moment. Layers upon layers of black adorned his top, starting with a long-sleeved shirt that was covered by an even longer distressed tee, and over _that_ was a concert tee that was also distressed and baggy. The leather jacket he wore over it along with the big black boots on his feet would definitely ensure he’d be warm when they went out, but he wondered how fast the other would be to complain about how hot he was. Hot as in temperature, that was. Kaoru couldn’t deny that in spite of Rei dressing distinctly like a grandpa, he was somehow all the more attractive for it.

“Thank you~” Rei hummed as he stepped closer to Kaoru, taking his hand and holding it up between them. “You are as ravishing as ever, Kaoru-kun. I hope that chain you wear around your belt has no lock attached to it, it will be most difficult to remove later otherwise.”

It took all of almost thirty seconds for Rei to instantly make Kaoru regret how long it took him to put together his outfit. Just as he’d predicted he supposed, but at the same time it was his fault for finding the man’s unbearable cheesiness endearing somehow. A gag sounded in the air, signalling at least one party in the room didn't share the same sentiment. Before Kaoru could turn his attention to that person, Rei pulled his hand further up until the man’s ice-cold lips pressed themselves to Kaoru’s knuckles. A jolt the same temperature of those lips shot down Kaoru’s spine and briefly paralyzed him, unable to tear his gaze from those blood red eyes that always seemed to hypnotically draw him in. How did this keep happening to him?

“It appears as though Rei-kun hasn’t changed a day, hasn’t he?” Hiyori’s voice startled Kaoru, despite knowing the man was in the room already. No, it wasn’t his voice, moreso it was what he said. Before he could note the strange thing he heard, Hiyori continued. “No, maybe you have, but only by shallow means. Acting so antiquated may mask your vulgar nature to most, yet you can’t help yourself but let it resurface, can you?”

Hiyori’s voice sounded uncharacteristically bitter to Kaoru’s knowledge of the other, especially considering how familiarly he greeted Rei in the first place. He looked back towards Rei, who only wore his usual smile. Or...Was it usual? Kaoru wasn’t quite sure anymore. There was something odd about the way Rei’s hand grasped Kaoru’s with increasing strength.

“Kuku, Hiyori-kun hasn’t changed much either, has he?” Rei returned, Kaoru’s stomach forming a pit that knotted his insides. Just how well did these two know each other? “You retain your vicious approach to communicating with others all while playing the carefree sun. Ah, it makes me a bit nostalgic to see how petty you still are~”

“Oh? How quaint,” Hiyori scoffed as he linked his and Nagisa’s arms together. “To think Rei-kun misses anything from back then, I would have assumed he’d forgotten all about it considering how little any of it mattered.”

Nagisa’s face remained unreadable for Kaoru, but there were certain habits he picked up on about the other. For one, if Nagisa was confused about a situation happening, he’d stick his nose out a little more as if wanting to interject to question the situation but never knowing how. Nagisa wasn’t doing that however; instead, he was standing with a straight spine and also looking towards Rei. It made Hiyori’s statements all the more intimidating in turn, and he wasn’t sure if Nagisa was doing so for that reason or if he also had a past with Rei. It made Kaoru feel slightly sheepish, being so thoroughly out of the loop.

“Hey, hey~” Kaoru decided to interrupt, raising his free hand and letting out a nervous chuckle. “I don’t really get what’s going on? I didn’t even know you two knew each other.”

“Oh, are you really that curious?” Hiyori tilted his head and rested it on Nagisa’s shoulder. “It’s a looooong story, and we have a reservation to get to, don’t we?”

Kaoru ought to have been the one to say that, but he didn’t want to argue it either. Instead, he squeezed Rei’s hand back and flashed him a look, one that begged him to stay quiet for just a moment. Rei’s smile, flexible as it was, signaled that he would, but only just for a moment.

“Right, right,” Kaoru forced a grin, “you’re completely right, Tomoe-kun. Let’s go~”

Shoving Rei out the door and Nagisa following with Hiyori on his arm, closing it behind him. As Kaoru got done glancing back, he caught Rei doing the same. Sneaking one more himself, he saw Hiyori’s eyes fixated on Rei rather than his own boyfriend. Something about this entire situation didn’t sit well in Kaoru’s stomach, and as they marched forward towards the exit of the dormitory, he felt like he’d know all about their past before the end of the night.

* * *

  
{Three Years Ago, September}

* * *

  
  


The halls of Yumenosaki grew quiet as the last school bell rang, students who held no interests in clubs either shuffling about aimlessly or heading home altogether. An hour later, and they were nearly silent. That was the time Rei had arrived, far too late to attend any classes, but it wasn’t as though it would matter. He was making his dues as an idol, and that should be enough to get him through his academics. For now though, he was bored. Bored and slightly curious. Rei’s travels in the school hardly took him to the academy’s library, seeing as his own family’s collection was vast and constantly growing. That didn’t mean it was complete though; there were certain to be gaps in Rei’s knowledge, and he might as well see what laid on the shelves.

Sliding the door open, Rei sauntered in a few steps before deciding to go down the aisle, perusing the selection with an open mind. The room was dark and musty, dust having settled in hard to reach corners and leaving it a little hard to breathe thanks to how stagnant everything was. There were tables off in the back, and with the light that came from that direction it seemed the air was probably more palatable over there. Heading down one aisle, Rei found a whole score of books he wasn’t familiar with, but none with titles that really spoke out to him yet. Then again, would they ever? He was coming in here in hopes he could recapture what it was about reading that saved him from his boredom as a child, but the more he stared at the kanji on the covers, the more he felt sick of the very idea.

“...Excuse me.”

A faint voice called out, so quiet Rei hardly heard it. He turned his head to see a smaller figure standing in his shadow, the window at Rei’s own back providing the only source of light in the area. The figure in question was a boy, dressed in a Yumenosaki uniform and a red tie around his neck, indicating his position as a first year. Cast in the darkness of Rei’s silhouette, he immediately noticed the boy’s eyes were a lighter shade of red compared to Rei’s own. Rather than pitch black hair to match, however, his hair was silvery white, tied off with a blue ribbon into a ponytail that hung over his left shoulder. Instead of reminding Rei of a vampire, the boy looked closer to that of a pet mouse or rabbit, the kinds that were so desired because of their albinism making them look “cute.” Rei hadn’t really gotten that concept much, or at least, not until now.

Even though the boy had grabbed his attention, he didn’t speak. Rei eyed the blank expression the first year wore, complete with a slightly agape mouth that was oh too easy to use. He then flicked his attention to the shelf he was standing in front of and then the books already held in the boy’s arms and finally put two and two together. He took a step back, and moving as if an automaton, the first year moved in and grabbed a book as if its location had been memorized. The boy paused as he slipped the book out from the shelf, as if processing his next movement.

“...Thank you,” the boy whispered before resuming his motion and turning around, heading off with a shuffle of his feet.

Rei couldn’t help himself. He wasn’t familiar with all the students of Yumenosaki, but he thought he knew a good number. He’d never seen that one before, and without even exchanging a word with the boy, he wanted to know more. He was probably setting himself up for disappointment, but he couldn’t help himself. He might as well discover what he could, and see what the boy’s deal was.

“Nagisa-kun~ did you find what you were looking for?” a high pitched voice could be heard in the distance, and Rei nearly mistook it for a girl. Finding a shelf near where the boy disappeared, he stepped behind it and made his way onto the other side slowly, standing in the shadows as he peered around the corner.

There was the boy, the one called Nagisa, and next to him was another first year. This one had green hair, but a much lighter shade than a certain _bouzu_ Rei knew. In fact, under the light of the lamp and what sunlight streamed in from the windows, it could have even been mistaken for yellow. His eyes were amethyst, and they sparkled as much as the stone in question as they looked at Nagisa and the piles upon piles of books he’d gathered. It was nearly comical, and Rei could only assume they were reading these things for pleasure rather than for a paper they had to work on.

“...Mm,” Nagisa answered the other first year with a nod as he opened up one of the books he picked out, spreading it so they could both read. Such a sickeningly sweet friendship, Rei couldn’t help but want to get a closer look.

“Ahaha, our castle of knowledge grows studier walls~” the second first year sang, organizing the stacks of books around them. “How fun. We can’t take all of these home with us, so make sure we demolish them a little, or else we’ll have to put them in the deposit box for someone else to put away.”

As the boy continued to play with the piles of books, he must have felt Rei’s eyes upon the two from the shadows. Amethyst eyes cast their gaze upon him, and he watched as that stare widen. Fear, that was the immediate reaction the boy had towards him; how boring.

“You’re—“ the first year stood up and wrapped his arms around Nagisa, causing the boy to look away from his book and towards Rei. “Uuu, leave us be, senpai. Can’t you see we’re in the middle of something?”

So rather than scream or beg, the boy was playing a brave protector. Though Rei had no understanding as to why, it was certainly a little more interesting than his initial assumption. Stepping out from the side of the bookshelf entirely, he fixed the lock of hair that fell across the left of his face.

“Aha, what a silly reaction,” Rei returned, leaning forward and letting his fangs show as he smiled. “What exactly are you thinkin’ I wanna do here?”

The one named Nagisa clearly recognized him but remained silent, eyes slowly flicking back and forth between the other first year and Rei.

“I don’t know,” the green haired boy admitted, unwavering in his resolve, “but I know who you are. I won’t allow my—I won’t allow Nagisa-kun to be tainted by impure things. He’s still growing, and too innocent for the likes of _you_.”

“Oh?” Rei cocked his head to the side and stepped closer, watching how the arms around Nagisa tightened. “The likes of me, huh? So yer knowledgeable about me? That ain’t very fair, considerin’ I don’t know you. What’s yer name, Prince Charming?”

The boy looked taken aback by the fact that he was being addressed at all, and though his grip didn’t loosen, he didn’t protest as Rei pulled out a chair across from them. Spinning it around, Rei sat and folded his arms over the back of the seat. He turned his head up, staring at the first year standing above and waited to be enlightened.

“Hmph,” the first year puffed his cheeks and then let them go, lowering his head. “Fine. You have the pleasure of being introduced to Hiyori Tomoe. Yes, _that_ Tomoe. Feel free to be in awe of my presence, our family history is quite respectable after all.”

“Mm?” Rei raised a brow and leaned forward. “I think I know you guys, yeah. Ain’t you the ones that went broke recently?”

“We are _not_ broke!” Hiyori quickly corrected, relinquishing his grasp on Nagisa to simply holding his shoulders as he stood up straight. “We may have had a financial setback recently, but I can assure you we’re doing just fine when it comes to funds. You’re a rather uneducated sort, aren’t you? Why are you even in this domain of learning?”

“To learn, of course,” Rei answered, knowing the question was rhetorical anyway. This was a game he’d played a thousand times before, and he’d win it again, but he was curious to see how long he could string this one out before he quit. “Ain’t that the point of attendin’ school in the first place?”

“...Mm,” Nagisa uttered in place of Hiyori, shocking the other two into silence as the strangely quiet boy looked to speak. “...Academics are important. They nurture the mind and ensure its growth. But. Studies—Studying is never complete.”

His voice was stilted and hard to hear through his murmur, but Rei was instantly intrigued. This one held something deep and new in his mind, didn’t he? Even though his speech pattern was like that of a child learning to talk, there was something there, something he wanted to understand.

“Mhm~ that’s right, Nagisa-kun!” Hiyori agreed, his embrace around the boy tightening once more as he held him close. “Your quest for knowledge is an admirable one. Shall we get back to reading? You’re looking at that book pretty sadly since we were rudely interrupted.”

“...He was looking at this book too,” Nagisa shook his head, “I think.”

“That’s right,” Rei took the opportunity in stride, “I was wonderin’ if I could give it a read too, and then you took it. At least you said thanks before you did.”

“...Fufu, I remembered my manners,” Nagisa giggled, the triumph wearing on his face in a rather sinister expression Rei couldn’t help but find adorable. Hiyori, looking like he felt left out, caved and finally sat back down.

“So you are in here to learn, hm?” Hiyori sighed, looking over the books they had. “Fine then. Nagisa-kun and I get this one, and if you’re really going to join us, senpai, you can take one of these.”

Hiyori held out a book, a rather heavy one. Rei couldn’t exactly reject it either, because it was one he’d never gotten the chance to read. Amethyst eyes stared at him paired with a smug smirk, as if he’d won something. This kind of pride was sure to crumble the hardest, and Rei got the feeling he’d be bored before he knew it—

“Ow!” The book fell between them, and Rei pulling back his hand and Hiyori mirroring the action. Their fingers had only brushed together as Rei attempted to take the book, and yet he still found himself checking to see if he’d burned. It was if he’d gone and touched an open flame from a candle. Meanwhile on the other side of the table, Hiyori didn’t appear to do too well with the cold, hissing as he rubbed his cold hands into his palm.

“...Are you two okay?” Nagisa asked, placing his own book down and worriedly reaching out to Hiyori.

“Ah,” Hiyori turned his attention to Nagisa and nodded, slowly dropping his hands to the table and laying them flat. “Mm mm. I’m fine, Nagisa-kun. I was just a little surprised that Rei Sakuma senpai is as cold hearted as his reputation precedes him.”

“Now that’s just rude to my family,” Rei retorted as he crossed his arms. “This kinda cold body temperature runs in my blood, but I ain’t ever felt anyone run hot as you do. You running a fever, kid?”

“On the contrary,” Hiyori refuted, “my warm spirit is a blessing. Combined with my naturally soft and smooth skin, I’m a delight to hold. Nagisa can confirm, yes? What is it that you always call me?”

“...My sun~” Nagisa answered, a bright smile forming on his face. He leaned into Hiyori’s arms, and the two sat together like that as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Rei, meanwhile, pondered over the choice of the celestial body and figured it probably fit too well. Sat in a dark library, burying himself in a pile of books and searching for the knowledge within, Nagisa struck a chord that hit too close to home for Rei. They were alike, and the senior couldn’t get it out of his mind. The only difference was, this boy had a spot of sunlight shining in on his world, and giving him love. Of course, Rei himself had a green haired childhood friend he still felt fondly about, but he couldn’t exactly call that guy the sun. No, this one was legitimately the type of person who could light up a room, even if his word choice was rather antagonistic.

“Well? Aren’t you going to read, senpai?” Hiyori asked, looking satisfied at the way the last conversation ended. In a way, Rei had actually been beat. The sun was the natural enemy of vampires, so the most Rei could think of to retort was that he should keep his little brother away from the guy.

“Yeah,” Rei answered with a click of his tongue, “I’ll get to readin’, princess.” He didn’t think much of the name in the moment, just that considering his haughty and bratty behavior, along with the tragedy of being from a “fallen kingdom” thanks to his family, Hiyori just fit the image. Opening the book, he cast a final glance up to see Nagisa reopening the book, Hiyori averting his gaze from Rei and his cheeks looking slightly pinker thank before. He had no argument to make such a name, did he? Well, that was interesting too.

Maybe he’d judged too quickly. Rei was someone who could admit mistakes, after all. Though his true interest still laid in the boy who could only say a few words at a time, Rei couldn’t deny the way his fingers still burned from that one touch he shared with the other.


	2. Gathering Tension - Adhesion

Nagisa looked around at their seating arrangement anxiously, having sensed alongside Kaoru the strange atmosphere that had been boiling over between both their partners. When they’d arrived at the restaurant after a long, long car ride, Hiyori was pulling Nagisa along into the restaurant and the first to arrive at the entrance. Once they were taken to the booth, Hiyori made sure to take the inside as he knew Nagisa’s preference for the outside. What he likely wasn’t expecting was for Rei to do the same on the other side, and for Nagisa to be the one sat across from Kaoru.

The restaurant itself was pleasant in atmosphere. They were sectioned off in a quiet corner, the space coated in warm yellow lighting that felt cozy with the hardwood table and floors. The scent of meat came wafting over from the kitchen, and Nagisa felt his stomach’s hunger growing. He hoped it was the same for everyone else, and that once they got to their food, the strange tension would dissipate.

Nagisa turned his attention to Hiyori to ask him what he thought of the menu, only to see holding it up and shielding his face from the other side of the table. Nagisa was the only one who got to see the grimace replacing his usually smiling face, and the image was surprising to say the least.

Rei placed his finger at the top of the menu and slowly pushed it down, forcing his and Hiyori’s eyes to meet. He rested his cheek upon the palm of his hand and met the other with a smirk while Hiyori struggled to do the same.

“You’re looking awfully intently at a drink menu,” Rei remarked, “especially when you’re still a year off from being able I drink. If you are looking for a sip, however, I wouldn’t mind supplying you.”

“Rei-kun?” Kaoru tilted his head, eyeing the other as if he didn’t recognize the person sitting next to him. “What’s with that? You’re usually so conservative when it comes to underage drinking.”

“Mm, nowadays I lean towards such a stance, yes,” Rei admitted with a shrug, “but in my youth I gave far less of care for such things. I apologize for shocking you with such a thing, Kaoru-kun.”

“No, I just—“ Kaoru sighed, pulling up his own menu. “I’m just confused, I guess.”

“...I’m confused too, Kaoru-kun,” Nagisa spoke up. In any other case, he would have extended out his hand to Kaoru, but he knew the other wouldn’t take it. “...I was not aware of a strong animosity between Sakuma-kun and Hiyori-kun.”

“Worry not about it, Nagisa-kun,” Hiyori waved off with his smile returning as he perused the menu, “in any case, I’m more interested in our choice of restaurant. Kaoru-kun, this place is run by your family, yes?”

“Not really run,” Kaoru corrected, his shoulders tensing, “rather, we own it, yeah.”

“Why on earth did we even need a reservation then?” Hiyori raised a brow, folding his menu closed. “Shouldn’t you have a table reserved for family only? That’s what restaurants owned by mine do. It’s most convenient~”

“Sorry, sorry,” Kaoru attempted to apologize with a smile, “my situation with my family isn’t the greatest. For one thing, I’d never let them know I’m out here using this place for a date night, not with guys at least. I really only chose this place because it’s got a great atmosphere and food~ Don’t you think it’s cozy?”

Hiyori was silent to the question, and Nagisa had a bit of an idea about why. Lowering his head, Nagisa realized he had a question of his own and hoped it would be one Hiyori could answer far easier.

“...I am curious as to why you were late in the first place,” Nagisa brought up innocently, looking over at Hiyori. “...Hiyori-kun is hardly one to be late for personal arrangements.”

“Ahaha~ you know me well, Nagisa-kun,” Hiyori grinned as he pat Nagisa’s shoulder. “Mm, yes, I suppose I was uncharacteristically tardy, wasn’t I? In truth, I was getting so caught up in applying my makeup that I scarcely paid the time any mind. Do you see how sharp my eyeliner is today?”

“Breathtaking,” Rei interrupted, his drawl clashing against the cheery atmosphere Hiyori was attempting to make, “I’m afraid I have another question for you, however. Might you explain why it was that, when I greeted you at the door, you screamed? Surely you understood that the moment you agreed to this night, our reunion was inevitable.”

“Oooh, that,” Hiyori avoided Rei’s stare and kept his motions directed towards Kaoru and Nagisa. “It wasn’t for any special reason, I just assumed you would already be inside. That, and your presence is close to zero, as your name implies. Of course it wouldn’t take much for you to sneak up and surprise someone, even if unintended.”

“Hm~?” Rei leaned forward, the sound of his feet shuffling under the table. “I’m unsure if your answer to the last question is the whole truth then. Wouldn’t it make more sense in that case for you to have arrived late in order to avoid being forced to greet me?”

“What a boorish answer,” Hiyori scoffed, “as if that would be the case. As I explained, I was busy attending to my hair. It has to maintain a certain consistency of fluffiness, after all.”

“Um~ Didn’t you say it was your makeup you were talking about?” Kaoru pointed out in as nice a voice he could muster.

“Hair and makeup are the same thing in my book,” Hiyori amended, “thanks to all my work in the film and modeling industries.”

“But you were just talking about your eyeliner,” Kaoru brought up, “and you were asking about how it looked. It does look nice though.”

“Why, thank you~” Hiyori hummed, flatly placing his hands over the table. “As I was saying though, for me there is no discernible difference between hair and makeup. Both are important, after all. In any case, I was not late on purpose and I will refute any and all allegations as such. If you choose to go down this line of thought, I may have to sue. Our family’s lawyers are _not_ to be thought lightly of.”

Nagisa stared at Hiyori with an uneasy feeling growing in his stomach. The waitress arrived to take their food order, but all Nagisa could focus on was the anger he could feel coming from his partner. Anger, and also a bit of melancholy. Emotions Nagisa knew were common within the one who gave him so much joy, but seldom to the degree that they were now. Nagisa placed his hand down on the bench between them, and eventually he felt Hiyori take it in his own. His fingers were shaking, and Nagisa knew they couldn’t just sit here any longer.

“...I’m going to use the restroom,” Nagisa announced.

“Ah~ I have to go too!” Hiyori colluded, pushing Nagisa’s arm and getting him out of the seat. “Come, come, Nagisa-kun~ let’s go!”

“...Mm.”

With that, Nagisa and Hiyori disappeared off into a hallway at the edge of the room, leaving Kaoru and Rei by themselves at the table. The blond took in a deep breath before turning his head towards Rei, whose hands were clasped together and thumbs pressed to his lips. His red eyes were fixed on the leather of the bench before them, looking like he’d seen a ghost.

“He really hasn’t changed,” Rei murmured, “not a day has changed for him. And here I am, feeling older than ever.”

“He does embody a certain youthful energy,” Kaoru agreed, turning a sympathetic eye to Rei. “Still, I’m really lost, Rei-kun. I...I know you seem reluctant to talk—“

“I’m not,” Rei corrected with a curt shake of his head, finally glancing back in Kaoru’s direction. “It’s just a long story. I suppose I can just start off from when we first met and see how far we go.”

Kaoru sat back in his seat and pursed his lips together, swallowing and reaching out a hand on the table. Rei took it and the two each squeezed back.

“Very well,” Rei sighed, leaning his cheek against his fist, “it was three years ago, when I was a second year—for the first time, that is.”

* * *

{Three Years Ago, September}

* * *

Dark clouds gathered in the distance, static clinging to the hairs on the back of Hiyori’s neck. Worse still, Hiyori was headed right towards them, noting how the home he was walking towards laid at the epicenter of the brewing storm. Hiyori bundled his arms together around his body, shivering as he searched the area surrounding him. Off in the near distance, he spied a bus stop equipped with a light. Hiyori didn’t hesitate to run towards it, stepping inside and taking shelter. It was cold, about to rain, and he didn’t even carry a bus pass on him. Not that it mattered, as Hiyori saw it was already late enough that they’d stopped in this area.

Standing at the entrance of the bus stop, he wanted to wait sitting on the bench until he’d truly given up. For now, he could merely hope that the storm was quick, and that once it was over he could finally go home. Checking his phone, he eyed the low power bar and stored it back in his pocket. There wasn’t a point in asking for someone to pick him up, not when his family was so in need of money that they couldn’t afford to chauffeur their second son home. It wasn’t like he was unloved, however, he believed that more than anything. He just needed to earn his keep, and that meant doing his part in saving what money they had.

He should have just slept over at Nagisa’s house. His family was wary of him spending too much time with Nagisa, now that they’d been reunited, but they never forbade it. It would have been a smarter decision to stay there than to assume he could make it home before the end of the night. No matter what, he couldn’t sleep until he went home. There was no way he could risk a stray photographer capturing a Tomoe sleeping out on a public bench like a homeless person. They weren’t poor, they weren’t financially unstable, they were the Tomoe family, as wealthy and powerful as ever. He’d be as resilient as his name commanded him to be, and he’d make it home one way or another.

The sound of a vehicle, loud and raucous, approached from the left. The streets in this area were normally empty at this time of night, so Hiyori expected the noise to pass soon enough. They didn’t, however. Hiyori looked up at the noisy motorcycle before him and felt a cold shudder run down his spine. Red eyes peered back at him matched with a smug smirk. Rei Sakuma sat before him, turning off his motorcycle and leaning over the bars. He was clad in an entirely leather outfit, from his shoes to the gloves he wore on his hands. If not for the shining red of his eyes and the way the bus stop’s light shone on his pale skin, Hiyori was certain he could hardly see the other at all.

“It’s a little late out, ain’t it, princess?” Rei addressed casually.

Hiyori’s heart was racing hard, and just the sound of the other’s voice infuriated him. Especially considering the last conversation they had that day, one that surely would come up soon.

“Is walkin’ home with a storm threatening to drown you out really all that preferable to a date with me?” Rei inquired, leaning out towards Hiyori more and somehow keeping the balance of his bike.

Hiyori’s hands, clenching each of his arms, were tight in their grasp. This wasn’t happening. This wasn’t the way things were going. No way was he going down this route, he wasn’t letting himself be indebted to the other. No, no, no, no—

“Hey,” Rei’s hand suddenly clamped down on Hiyori’s shoulder, startling the boy enough to cause him to shriek.

The senior had put the kickstand down on his bike and stood up, that was how he got here. Rei was close now, as close as he was when he pinned Hiyori against the wall earlier. Somehow, the junior felt more trapped now than then, even though there was far more open space to break free though. The problem was, could he even bring himself to do that? Rei sighed, reaching up with his other hand and coupling Hiyori’s chin in-between his thumb and index finger. Lifting it up, their eyes met, and though Rei was wearing gloves, it did little to disperse the icy aura that permeated the air and sent a chill deep down into Hiyori’s soul. He’d never known cold like this until he’d met the other, and he wasn’t sure why Rei was so adamant on playing with fire in return.

“I’m not the type of guy who can’t accept rejection,” Rei murmured, his voice low and dreamy. Staring into those blood red eyes free of malice, Hiyori could feel the hypnosis starting already. “If you don’t want anythin’ to do with me like that, that’s fine. I only brought it up considerin’ yer behavior recently.”

“You’re one to talk about behavior,” Hiyori muttered, finding the task strenuous as he was forced to taste the air of Rei’s gross cigarette breath. “Ensnaring me in a trap like this when I know what it is that you’re really after, you’re completely despicable, Rei-kun.”

Though he’d started referring to the other so familiarly in an attempt to annoy him, Rei seemed immune to the concept. The man let out a long, drawn out cackle, and it only made Hiyori feel even more embarrassed about the day’s earlier events.

They’d known each other for a few weeks now, and Hiyori had been doing all that he could to ensure Nagisa was never caught alone with the senior. It was hard work, and there were times where he could find Rei but not Nagisa. The boy was easy to wander off on his own journeys, and Hiyori didn’t like interrupting him there. He knew the other could handle himself, he wasn’t entirely helpless. No, he merely had to stop the motivated stalker who was determined to entangle himself in Nagisa’s life. Not on Hiyori’s watch, not one moment. That was why he’d been forced to interact with Rei in Nagisa’s place, and in turn, that must have led the senior into thinking Hiyori somehow _enjoyed_ such interactions.

That was why, not too long ago, Hiyori had found himself against a wall with Rei asking when they were going to finally bang already. The tackiness of it all was enough to make Hiyori laugh, and just that was enough to strengthen his answer. At least then. Now, he couldn’t even turn up the corners of his lips. His natural smile had all but faded, and all that was left was the black hole in his chest that called for something to fill it. The only one there was Rei Sakuma, burying him in ice and threatening to freeze him over entirely.

“I know I am,” Rei admitted as the hand that was on Hiyori’s shoulder slipped around his waist, pulling the boy in closer. Hiyori didn’t resist, finding the cold unbearable but dealing with the shivers anyway. “And yet you still go out of your way to hang out with me, even when I’m not thinking about playing with Nagi-chan. C’mon, tell me kid, is that really yer best excuse?”

“Yes,” Hiyori answered without hesitation, “I’ll do anything for him. Anything.”

“Right,” Rei sighed, though the annoying smile he wore remained strong as ever, “you green haired boys and yer childhood friend complexes...Can’t you at least live life while you’re at it?”

The tight embrace Rei had on him evaporated, and he watched the man walk backwards to his bike. He leaned back on the seat and placed his hands at his sides. A flash of lightning shone in the distance, and after all too short a time, a clap of thunder followed.

“Well, if you’re that insistent, then I guess I’ll have to give you a ride home,” Rei hummed. “C’mon, hop on or else the storm’ll overtake us.”

“It won’t matter,” Hiyori shook his head, turning his head towards the raging storm in the near distance. “My home’s that way.

“It’s not the only option,” Rei reassured, “we could always go to Nagi-chan’s place and drop you off there, yeah?”

Hiyori nearly took the offer, but bit his lip and thought it through. Letting Rei know where Nagisa lived was a bad idea. Even letting him drop him off in the neighborhood was dangerous. Rei noticed the hesitation and nodded to the storm.

“It’s too late then,” Rei dismissed, his eyes betraying any ounce of sympathy he was attempting to convey. “I’m not stickin’ around for this rain. Yer free to hop on, but once I’m gone, I’m gone. Enjoy stayin’ the night on the bench.”

The roar of the motorcycle’s engine roared to life, weighing down on Hiyori’s soul. This was it. This was the final straw. Rei, leaving him in the cold, alone and with the rain boring down, entrapping him. He wouldn’t let him. He wouldn’t let a man so cold and cruel abandon him like this. He’d burn him—he’d conquer that ice wall and make him melt.

Hiyori ran out into the street, and before Rei could even pull up the brake, Hiyori leapt onto the rear seat. He wrapped his arms around Rei’s chest, pressing his chin to his shoulder. His cheek brushed against the man’s cool face, which turned to meet his gaze with one red eye.

“Oh?” Rei couldn’t contain his grin, a cackle slipping into his speech. “What’s this, then? I can’t exactly take you home, and you don’t want me takin’ to Nagi-chan’s place. Where exactly are you expectin’ to go, princess?”

“Anywhere,” Hiyori answered, squeezing his grasp around Rei’s chest and pressing his own harder onto the man’s back, “so long as we’re free of the storm, anywhere will do. Besides...I wanted to go for a ride.”

The one eye Hiyori could see widened, and Hiyori couldn’t help but feel his own heart racing harder and harder. In turn, the hands clasped over Rei’s ribs felt the pounding organ beneath grow into a rapid frenzy as well. He was doing it. He was finally making this damned ice block melt. Rei couldn’t even reply to Hiyori’s offer, only pause before he finally kicked the stand back up, rev the engine, and then set the two off. Hiyori let out a yelp of shock as the brisk wind shot right through him at high speeds. He strengthened his grasp on Rei, shivering hard thanks to the unrelenting cold surrounding them.

“Hold on tight, princess,” Rei warned, his grin visible even from his profile, “I’ll take you somewhere nice. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you get to go for a ride all night long.”

Rei was hard to hear thanks to how loud the wind was, but Hiyori got the gist. This was a mistake. He was getting involved with someone he was trying to protect someone else from, all for the sake of that one delicate person. Despite that, Hiyori had to admit an unsettling truth to himself: he was looking forward to this. Hiyori was going to be the one who put Rei Sakuma in his place, the one who _he_ couldn’t get out of his head. Hiyori was cold now, but that would change soon. His heat would burn and burn hot, enough to share his light to one who wouldn’t even show himself during the school day because the sun in the sky shone too bright. If that sun was too much for Rei, then he had _no_ idea what he’d gotten himself into. Hiyori was the sun, as vibrant as the star above, and he was ready to shine a new day on Rei’s night.

The sound of rain hitting the ground joined the roar of the engine, and Hiyori couldn’t help but look back. A sheet of water chased after them, and fast. The weather threatened to overtake them entirely, but Rei seemed to have other plans.

“Hold on tight, princess,” Rei shouted, barely giving time for his passenger to brace himself. “Me an’ water don’t get on too well!”

“Is that why you stink?!” Hiyori cried out, followed by a proper shriek into the man’s ear as the speedometer on Rei’s bike steadily increased.

“Yer free to bathe me~” Rei offered, not letting up.

“Rei-kun...” Hiyori gasped and dug his fingers into Rei’s jacket. “Rei-kun, slow down!”

“Is that a preview for later?” Rei asked, his disgusting sense of humor still bringing a blush to Hiyori’s face even as his body couldn’t stop shivering.

“Only if I’m still alive,” Hiyori returned, being met with that awful dry laugh that drove Hiyori insane.

The rain’s drum faded into the distance, and looking back he saw that they were actually beating the storm. He shouldn’t—he couldn’t praise this kind of behavior. Still, he was grateful somewhat. Even if Rei played with his heart a bit, it was clear that, whatever his original intentions were for the night, they all got thrown out the window the moment he saw Hiyori. Hiyori was the one Rei would stop everything for. At least, Hiyori would hold onto that to make himself feel a little better about the situation.

Keeping his eyes open during the high speed was painful and dangerous, so he closed his eyes and nestled his chin against Rei’s shoulder. Though everything about the other was cold, it was less so than just a moment before. He was heating the man up, and he’d continue to do so for as long as the night raged on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also wanna give a shout-out to the Eden porn collective for reading each of these chapters first, ilu guys <3 this fic has been especially fun to write knowing I get to share them w u!


	3. Perception and Image

“...So that’s why the air around you two grew strange,” Nagisa remarked, leaning against the wall of the hallway. He and Hiyori were stood outside of the bathroom, the door remaining unopened by them.

“Yep, yep,” Hiyori confirmed, the smile he wore doing its best to remain held up, “our relationship was truly the most foul weather imaginable. I should have taken that storm as an omen.”

“...You didn’t seem bitter though,” Nagisa reflected, “if anything, your relationship with him appeared to improve. That is, until he stopped coming by to see us.”

“Mm, I think you’re a little confused about the situation,” Hiyori refuted as the arms crossed over his chest tightened. “It wasn’t as though that one night was all it was. Unfortunate a decision as it was, I found myself drawn to that man for an embarrassingly long amount of time. From then on, for as long as you knew him to be cordial with us, I had been determined to see him melt.”

Nagisa contemplated the past, recalling the timeline of events. They’d met Rei at the beginning of September, and by the time they returned from winter break, he had vanished from their lives. Not too long a time, no, but not an insignificant amount either. To think Hiyori had done so in secret as well; then again, perhaps he ought to have been suspicious of those moments when Hiyori chased Rei out of the library. He was too absorbed in his reading to observe any change in his childhood friend.

“...I’m sorry,” Nagisa offered, reaching out towards Hiyori. The man remained still at first, and then accepted the offer for a hug. “...It sounds like it was difficult for you, especially if you felt you had to keep it a secret from me. I’m glad you told me, Hiyori-kun.”

“Don’t make me cry, Nagisa-kun,” Hiyori begged, voice wavering and threatening to crack, “I should have told you from the start. But I was afraid, I didn’t want you to try and save me.”

“...I won’t, then,” Nagisa reassured as he rubbed small circles into Hiyori’s back. “...Hiyori-kun, you must face our current situation head on. When we get back to the table, return to the seat you abandoned. Then, face him and Kaoru-kun both with the intention of friendliness. I know you’re capable of it, Hiyori-kun.”

Hiyori remained rigid in Nagisa‘s arms, but eventually he nodded. They broke from their embrace, and Nagisa waited until the amethyst eyes he loved removed themselves from the floor. After a short while, they did and met his own gaze.

“Okay,” Hiyori agreed, his voice practically a whisper, “I promise, I’ll do my best. You deserve to have a fun time tonight, and I don’t wish to be petty. It’s bad for my skin to stress, and he’s especially not someone I wish to stress over.”

The two held hands, walking back to the table where the other couple expectantly waited for them. Hiyori stared at the booth, took a deep breath, and then held tight to Nagisa’s hand as he stepped into the booth first. By the time the two were both seated, Nagisa could tell both of their companions had their attention fixed on Hiyori—especially Rei.

“You were gone for an incredibly long time, Hiyori-kun,” Rei observed, “is everything moving alright for you?”

“Of course, Rei-kun,” returned, his smile growing dangerously wide, “I’ve never been more regular~!”

Nagisa watched as Hiyori pulled his phone out of his pocket and covered his face in it, the man’s face stuck in the position it was before. Looking at the screen, he caught Hiyori typing something into a notepad; a diary maybe. Nagisa caught the message he wrote in all katakana and raised a brow, concerned. It read: “WHY IS IT WHEN I TRY TO BE OVERLY POSITIVE I SOUND LIKE IBARA????” Thinking back to what Hiyori had said, it was true; it did match Ibara’s lack of tact to a T.

“Ah, it makes me truly happy to hear that then,” Rei hummed, his voice sounding genuine. “It warms my heart to hear that you’re in good health, Hiyori-kun.”

“If you’re looking to butter me up, you’re doing an adequate job,” Hiyori replied as he dropped his phone, smile falling with it but not entirely. “Though I know you’ll inevitably ruin it with your crass nature, I appreciate the attempt, thank you.”

“Oho, speaking so cordially,” Rei noted as he folded his arms and rested them on the table, “I remember this game well~ Let’s both play it to the best of our abilities, Hiyori-kun.”

“Hm~” Hiyori studied the man’s words carefully before agreeing with a giggle. “That sounds reasonable. Let’s have a polite and malice free evening from here on out.”

The food arrived just as Hiyori finished speaking, and the aroma brought with it a renewed sense of freedom. Liberation from the past and the pain held within, that is. Nagisa couldn’t stop himself from wearing his relief on his face, and Kaoru across the way was the same.

“Ugh, finally~” Kaoru beamed as he stretched his arms above the head. “No more unresolved tension! Just a good old fashioned date night with me, my boyfriend, and my roommate with his boyfriend. Let’s eat~”

“Nagisa-kun, Nagisa-kun~” Hiyori sang sweetly as he leaned over with his fork and knife. “Let me cut your food up!”

“How precious,” Rei commented, pushing his plate forward, “would you be willing to cut my food up as well, Hiyori-kun? You have such an even hand after all.”

“Ahaha! Rei-kun’s form of humor hasn’t changed a day~” Hiyori denied though his usual means. “Of course I won’t cut your food for you, silly. You have a wife of your own to do that for you, yes?”

“...Eh?” Kaoru raised his chin and furrowed his brow. “Wait, are you talking about me?”

“Mm~?” Hiyori met Kaoru’s grey-brown eyes with his own amethyst ones that were muddled in their own brand of confusion. “Who else would I be talking about, Kaoru-kun?”

“I’m not a wife,” Kaoru asserted, his voice far more tense than Nagisa had ever recalled it to be. “I’m sorry, you were probably just joking, but I don’t like being referred to like that.”

Hiyori blinked a few times, entirely motionless before he eventually conceded and sat straight up. 

“My apologies, then,” Hiyori offered, Nagisa sensing the rare sincerity coming from his childhood friend as he spoke. “I really only know what Rei-kun likes from when I dated him, and he always got a kick out of when I presented more femininely. If that’s not the case for you, then I guess it only goes to show there’s a different side to him that you got to see than I did.”

“Ah,” Kaoru was the one caught paralyzed now, a mood that permeated the side of the table he sat on. Even Rei was quiet, watching Hiyori carefully. “Tomoe-kun...Um, thank you, I appreciate the understanding.”

“...I agree with Hiyori-kun,” Nagisa spoke up, catching the attention of the table in an instant. “...I see in Sakuma-kun a great deal of change from when Hiyori-kun and I knew him. Back then, he would often remark upon how he’d never known how two people could remain together for so long. Now you are here, with someone you love. For a long time, I too struggled with understanding the value of human relationships, but thanks to the bonds I have forged, I believe I’ve grown truly stronger as an individual as well. Many hands have reached out to polish me into who I am today, including yours, Sakuma-kun. Let us both continue to shine thanks to the gentle care of our companions.”

At some point, tears had started flooding out of Rei’s eyes, followed by loud, comical cries of “boohoo” and “oioioi.” Nagisa was taken aback slightly, but understood quickly enough by the way Rei clung to Kaoru’s shoulder that they were the tears of happiness.

“Oh, Nagi-ch—Nagisa-kun,” Rei corrected himself mid sob, “how far you’ve come from that child who could hardly speak more than five words at a time! I’m touched, right down to my cold core. Thank you, Nagisa-kun, and I return the well wishes for your own relationships, as they’ve truly helped you grow into a splendid young man.”

“Reiiii-kuuuuun,” Kaoru whined as he attempted to pull his arm away, “you’re getting my jacket all wet!”

“Ha,” Hiyori sighed out quietly, catching only Nagisa’s attention, “I’m fairly certain he only kept remarking on how much time we spent together for a different reason, but I suppose it doesn’t matter.”

Hiyori finally began to dig into his own meal, the conversation continuing without him. Nagisa was curious as to why Hiyori felt he needed to stop talking altogether, hoping it wasn’t something too grave that he hadn’t told Nagisa about.

Hiyori dropped his fork suddenly, and Nagisa watched as amethyst eyes grow wide and then furrow down on their target, glowering fiercely ahead at the man sat across from him. Rei was playing with the food on his plate with his fork, having hardly picked at it at all. Meanwhile, the less-than-innocent looking gaze he was giving Hiyori unnerved Nagisa a great deal.

_ STOMP! _

“Uwah!” Kaoru gripped the table tightly, looking around the restaurant. “Is there an earthquake happening?”

“No, no,” Hiyori reassured with a wave of his hand, “it’s likely something just fell and made a big ruckus, no need to investigate. Anyway, Kaoru-kun, tell me about your favorite beauty brands? Your hair looks so feathery and soft, I simply must know~”

Kaoru took the bait and began to go on, seemingly as into the topic as Hiyori likely assumed. Nagisa recognized these kinds of tactics well from the other, seeing a bit of Ibara in them too. The way those two influenced each other helped Nagisa in understanding Hiyori a little better these days, because he’d been trained to look at those same plans and understand what it was each of them saw. Hiyori’s lower lip curled in on itself, but he refused to bite it; he was fighting a battle and was planning on winning. That war was raging under the table, and Nagisa had to find out what it was. Leaning back in his seat, he turned his head and attempted to look in the space between the top of the table and seat of the bench.

Rei’s feet, protected by the metal piece over the toe of his boot, were waging a war with Hiyori and his high heeled boots. They wrapped around each other’s ankles, Hiyori doing his best to keep the man’s feet on the floor while Rei was reaching up. The older of the two was wearing a shorter pair of footwear, and meanwhile Hiyori’s boots went up to his knees. It was clear that Rei’s intention was to push the man’s pant leg up high enough to brush the skin of his ankle to Hiyori’s thigh, a task that wasn’t impossible considering how loosely fitted Hiyori’s pant legs were already.

Now that he knew this was happening, Nagisa was unsure if he should stop it or not. Looking back up from the scene, he caught Hiyori flicking his attention back to him for one moment before returning to glaring at Rei. Though uneasy, Nagisa understood the intention of the look. This was a war Hiyori was  _ willing _ to fight. He didn’t need Nagisa to step in, he could take care of it. Instead, Nagisa focused his efforts on the conversation above the table, doing his part to assist Hiyori in distracting the oblivious member of their party. However, Nagisa was already planning to inform Kaoru the moment he could get a moment between them. There was something he wanted to confirm about Rei’s behavior as well, though knowing for certain when they would be able to talk was difficult. What would happen if they left Rei and Hiyori alone if they were bold enough to do something like this in public?

* * *

{Three Years Ago, October}

* * *

  
“No flash photography in the bedroom,” Hiyori warned as he covered himself up with the bedsheet. A claw-like hand snatched the protection away as if it were nothing and shoved the lens in his face, wiggling it in a taunting fashion. Before Hiyori could get a swipe in, the holder of the old film camera pulled it back, resting it near his own shoulder as he looked down at the green haired boy laying below.

“Come on now,” Rei argued with a vile smirk, “I ain’t lookin’ to share pics with anyone. These’re just for me, an’ you if you want any.”

Rei’s lap straddled Hiyori’s hips, his low cut distressed jeans hardly doing anything to cover up the boxers underneath. Shirtless, Hiyori’s eyes were drawn to the marks he’d left on the man’s pale skin, especially the lipstick marks on his neck. Instinctively, Hiyori brought a hand to his own and felt the bite-marks that pierced his neck the previous night. Lips parted as a small pained gasp escaped him out of instinct, and after a moment it subsided. Rei watched him all the while, readying the camera and turning on the flash.

Blinding light briefly illuminated the dark bedroom, and in the aftermath all that could be seen were strangely colored circles and Rei’s silhouette looming over him. The man bent forward, and in an instant the world went black as Hiyori closed his eyes. In the next moment, he felt a pair of icy lips press against his own, the touch hesitant at first. It hurt, it really fucking hurt just to feel them brush against his own, and yet they persisted. A tongue begged to enter his throat, and Hiyori allowed it—at least it maintained a proper high temperature. Suffocating in the taste of cigarette smoke and a hint of whiskey, Hiyori questioned why he didn’t resist their taste as much anymore.

Rei sat back up, pulling away from the kiss with his tongue still stuck out, as if savoring the flavor of Hiyori’s saliva. Hiyori let out a groan and covered his face with his hands, rubbing them in and letting his fingers lay over his eyes. Rei’s weight on his lap disappeared, the boy first peering through holes in-between his digits before sitting up entirely with hands at his side. He gathered the bedsheet covering his lower half a little further up, staring at Rei’s back as the man shuffled about the room, looking amongst all the mess for something to do.

“Are you even aware of how messy your room is?” Hiyori huffed, knees curling up and then laying flat as he sat cross-legged. “It’s awful. How do you live like this?”

“Very carefully,” Rei answered, placing the camera down on a shelf that looked ready to collapse with all the junk placed on it.

Rei moved slowly, keeping to his word as he relinquished his grasp on the item and dragged his hand back to his side. Miraculously, it stayed up. Rei turned his head towards Hiyori, red eyes brimming with shock. It faded the moment the man slapped his hand hard to the side of the cabinet—it shook, hard, but nothing fell. Rei let out a long, drawn out cackle, watching as Hiyori’s body trembled in the aftermath.

“Yer so jumpy,” Rei observed, “scared o’ loud noises or somethin’?” Raising a brow, Rei seemed to attach himself to an idea and roamed off to a different corner of the room, heading towards a large pile of instrument cases.

“No,” Hiyori denied, voice horse and dry. He swallowed, took a deep breath, and spoke again in his normal pitch. “No, I can handle loud noises. It’s doing something so suddenly that unsettles me, that much should be obvious.”

“Aw, no need to be shy,” Rei looked back from the pile with a horribly smug grin, “it’s okay, sweetie. You can cry an’ beg me to stop, I won’t startle you on purpose if it’ll really make you that sad.”

“I won’t,” Hiyori sighed, leaning back on the bed frame, “it doesn’t bother me that much, in any case. Rather, I find your voice far more irritating, but that won’t stop even if I begged you on my knees.”

“Ah, well,” Rei turned himself around entirely, seemingly distracted from his last whim. He stepped towards the bed and extended himself forward, face drawing nearer to Hiyori’s. “There’s always one way to get me to shut up.”

“You’re absolutely right,” Hiyori agreed with a smile before stopping Rei’s face from coming incrementally closer with a pillow. “Now, would you kindly mind burning the picture you just took of me?”

“Yer still focused on that, huh?” Rei spoke, voice muffled by the cushion it was currently plastered within.

He pulled back, Hiyori lowering the pillow down slowly. Sat at an even height, Rei was now seated at the edge of the bed, keeping his gaze fixated on the boy. Though Hiyori wouldn’t stop telling himself that there wasn’t any value to be found in being the subject of the man’s fascination, he had to admit, it was nice being paid attention to. He responded in kind, leaning forward to meet Rei, the little space left between them ironically a safer wall than should the boy have remained away. After all, who could really bring themselves to break such palpable tension?

“Burn it,” Hiyori repeated, “rip it from the film reel, or better yet the whole camera, I don’t care.”

“You really don’t respect the cost of that stuff, huh?” Rei clicked his tongue and placed his hand on Hiyori’s thigh, the chill of his hand seeping through the thin fabric that covered the limb. “Tell you what, pay me for a replacement and I’ll think about it. Got a spare ¥20k? There’s a new model I was thinking of picking up.”

Hiyori’s head reeled at the price, feeling a pit form in his stomach. His sigh answered for him, and Rei’s hand caressing his thigh felt invasive as ever.

“Why?” Rei asked, surprising Hiyori enough to cause him to blink. “Why don’t you like me taking pictures of you?”

“I’m not opposed,” Hiyori corrected, “but it’s like with loud noises. I need to prepare myself, get ready to be seen. I don’t want a picture of myself circulating if I don’t look fit for the public eye in it.”

“But it’s ain’t for the public,” Rei argued softly, cocking his head to the side, “it’s just for me. A memory I can physically hold onto.”

Hiyori’s body threatened to shiver, but he wouldn’t allow it. Instead, he adjusted his seat and extended the leg that Rei wasn’t touching out towards the other. Looking between the camera on the shelf and the man before him, he felt the question burning in his heart might have too dangerous an answer, but he couldn’t help himself.

“Why bother?” Hiyori questioned. “Have we really been going at this long enough for you to believe you’d be nostalgic?”

“Long enough, maybe not,” Rei admitted with a shrug, taking the offer of the second leg and placing his other hand on it, inching a bit closer. “But it’s certainly been an interestin’ time, knowin’ you. Just got a hunch that I might wanna look back on these days is all. Plus, my old photography kick got an itch, an’ I’m the kinda guy who’ll obey any ol’ whim so long as it promises me I won’t be bored.”

Hiyori furrowed his brow and strained his vision as he scanned the dark room. He’d grown adept to seeing in the dark lately, a skill he’d had to develop in the past when searching for Nagisa should he ever sneak out of their bedroom. Now it had made its return, and rather than searching beautiful gardens lit only by the light of the stars, it was a dingy and musty bedroom with blinds that blocked out the sun’s rays a little too well. Still, there were things he could recognize even in this darkness. Instruments, music sheets, the camera, even what looked to be a tattoo gun sitting on the shelf below. Not to mention the stacks of books carried up from the Sakuma family library. Hobbies upon hobbies all lined up, waiting to be paid attention to, and all relying upon Rei Sakuma’s boredom to subside and find them interesting again.

He was like Nagisa in that regard. Nagisa, the very person Hiyori was here for in the first place. That boy had an insatiable omnivorous appetite, and he would have likely loved the filth pile Hiyori now found himself sat inside. Eyeing the tattoo gun again, Hiyori was grateful it was him instead of the other. He couldn’t stand the idea of this person taking what little innocence Nagisa had left. Still, he was grateful he didn’t have to worry about Nagisa growing too curious either. He wasn’t bored easily, he was always interested in something through to the end. The only reason why he would ever stop would be if something else captured his attention harder than what he was currently fixated upon. It was adorable, really, seeing Nagisa bounce from activity to activity like a rabbit leaping from one plot to another. Not like Rei, whose lifeless shuffling reminded Hiyori more of a corpse than anything.

“How about this then,” Rei began with a grunt as he picked himself off the bed, the cold of his hands lingering on Hiyori’s lap. “Why don’t you take some pics of me an’ we’ll see how they come out? In fact, I’ll even take more o’ you, an’ then I’ll let you pick out yer favs o’ the bunch. Any you don’t like even a li’l, we’ll burn.”

Hiyori raised a brow and felt hesitant to take the deal, watching his Rei easily located the camera. Scooting back, he contemplated his decision. Should he take it, he’d have a chance of at least ensuring the man only kept one photo of him that looked presentable. On the other, he’d be fueling the man’s selfish whim, and he’d even be forced into a position of admiring the man’s body from several angles. Angles he already had in mind, in fact. Letting out a defeated sigh, Hiyori threw over the bedsheet that covered his body. Rei’s grin looked a little too satisfied, so Hiyori made sure to cover up his lower half by curling up one leg to his chest, holding it there.

“Make sure I look pretty,” Hiyori commanded, “I won’t accept anything less than my natural perfection.”

“I gotcha, princess,” Rei eagerly agreed, crawling over onto the bed with the camera held up in the air, “I’ll only getcha at yer absolute fanciest~”

Shoved down to the bed by icy fingers to his chest, Hiyori collapsed without a fight and let the camera shine upon him once more. Blinded by the light, he had no time to prepare himself for the darkness that ensued as Rei Sakuma pulled him into another embrace that would last until the sun went down another day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of the last chaps I have pre-written before I started posting this fic, the last one will come later. Again, regular updates should come through. Ty for reading!


	4. Song of the Storm

A karaoke box, one that Kaoru had been recommended by Tsumugi, was the perfect way to end the evening in Kaoru’s mind. After all, they were idols, so if all else failed and they couldn’t find any common interests to talk about, surely singing could bring them all together. Despite that, Kaoru questioned the decision the moment they left for the restaurant, thanks to all the painful tension that had built up from the moment Hiyori and Rei made eye contact with one another. Thankfully, once they arrived at the box, things started looking up. Each couple had their chance to sing a duet, and then Kaoru invited Nagisa to do a song with him. That left Rei and Hiyori, sitting on either side of the room, giving them the chance to take a break from their war and just relax on their own. As he and Nagisa sang however, he couldn’t help but notice how the two kept exchanging glances. Maybe a song between them held a chance? What would that even look like?

“Hey, hey, Ran-kun, say cheese!”

“...Cheese~”

Dropping the peace sign he held up, Kaoru looked at the picture on his phone and felt a warm fuzziness well up inside of him. There was nothing better like getting a good looking selfie for everyone involved in the pic, for sure. That was, he felt that way up until he spied a certain green head looking gloomy off in the corner of the picture. When Kaoru first noticed, he covered up his mouth with a hand, stifling any laughter at the contrast of such a sad expression compared to the happy main focus. Once the humor vanished, he focused on righting the accidental wrong he’d stumbled upon.

“Tomoe-kun,” Kaoru addressed, walking over to the couch Hiyori sat upon. “Looks like I accidentally gotcha in me and Ran-kun’s selfie, see? I can take another or try to crop you out later.”

“Hm?” Hiyori turned his head, the expression he wore earlier fading. Rather than looking melancholic, it was more like he wasn’t all there to begin with. “Oh...I see.”

“Are you doing alright?” Kaoru asked, sitting himself down next to Hiyori. “You’ve been quiet ever since we left the restaurant and I don’t think you said a word once we got here. I know I don’t know you all that well, but it seems like the total opposite of what I’d expect from you.”

Maybe he was being too harsh. Kaoru knew fully well what it was like to have expectations of one’s image weigh so heavy that at points, it made him deny being seen as vulnerable at all. Getting ready to amend his words, Hiyori appeared to put his mask on once again, and Kaoru was forced into silence.

“Aww, Nagisa-kun looks cute there~!” Hiyori squealed, taking the phone from Kaoru’s hand and taking a closer look. “You’re also looking fairly dapper, Kaoru-kun. It’s a shame you have such a dour partner, your cuteness is going to waste.”

Even when bringing up Rei, there was a certain distance Kaoru could detect. He was talking about the other based on shallow means, nothing about him as a person. It was like he wanted to forget that he knew Rei altogether. That, or Kaoru was just projecting some old woes of his own onto the other. Feigning a smile, he pointed out Hiyori’s place in the picture once more.

“I know, it’s a really cute selfie,” Kaoru agreed, “but I just feel bad about getting you in it. We can re-take it just as easily—“

“No, don’t,” Hiyori cut him off, his smile remaining on his face but hard to hear in his voice. “Photographs are memories. Burn them, and you’ll just forget the moments that were the reason you kept going, even if the pictures themselves are of the painful times. Besides, I’m a celebrity, it comes with the lifestyle that unflattering photos will happen from now and then. It’s my duty to be the one to expect them wherever I go, so I’ll just accept this as a rare moment of weakness. Still, I can’t say it’s a complete failure. I look cute even when I’m pouting, don’t I? It’s thanks to these naturally puffy cheeks of mine~”

There were parts of what Hiyori said that Kaoru could understand, and others that he just didn’t like. He didn’t like hearing Hiyori say it was his duty to be the one who prevented others from getting bad candids of him and considering himself weak for letting his front fall. Maybe it was because of how close the subject matter hit to home, but Kaoru couldn’t think of a way of addressing his concerns with the other’s speech. The smile Hiyori wore was blinding and sweet, but Kaoru couldn’t help the feeling that there was something altogether much darker in nature resting just behind it.

_Click_.

The sound of a camera shutter caught both of their attentions, turning to see Rei on the couch across from them holding up his own phone and snapping a pic. Beyond the device, his face was emotionless.

“Rei-kun?” Kaoru called the man’s name before realizing the situation. “Ah...Hey! Wait!” He stood up quickly and sat himself next to Rei, shoulders brushing as he attempted to reach for the phone. Rei held it at an arm’s length at first, met Kaoru’s gaze, and then smirked as he brought it back. “Meanie...What’re you doing taking unsolicited pictures _this_ time?”

“Oho, are you still mad about that?” Rei teased, bumping Kaoru’s shoulder and receiving a stuck out tongue in response.

“No,” Kaoru admitted, “but still, it’s not nice. And this picture...Well, it’s not really all that unflattering...Actually, no, it’s a really nice one. The angle and lighting with all those hues of purple and gold, they make everything here look so classy and elegant. You’re awful with phones, but talent with a camera, that’s its own thing. Even so, I’m really surprised.”

“I prefer film,” Rei elaborated, folding his hands loosely on his lap as he rested deep onto the couch. “There’s excitement to be had in taking a picture and not knowing what it looks like. Along with that, the development process is fun too. A dark room lit only in crimson, its fumes are terrible, but the atmosphere is exquisite for make outs.”

“I see,” Kaoru shuffled his feet on the ground before crossing his legs, leaning into Rei slightly, “so you’ve got experience with the whole process, huh? It’s kinda funny this is the first I’m hearing about it though.”

“Mm, well,” Rei stretched his arms above his head before lowering them, resting one around Kaoru’s shoulder and the other on the back of the couch, “I’m afraid my interest in the hobby is a waning one. It comes and goes, but every once in a while, I find a muse. Mostly in the form of old abandoned buildings. Rarely people, but there are exceptions for those naturally drawn to the lens.”

“Like Tomoe-kun?” Kaoru asked, following with a giggle. “You’re right, he’s a natural when it comes to the camera, even moreso than Senacchi. Don’t let him know I said that.”

“Mm,” Rei nodded, red eyes flicking back and forth between Kaoru and the scene sitting across from them. “He is, but he hardly acted like it in his youth. Perhaps I was too hard on him after all, he’s reversed his way of thinking entirely from back then. I suppose there are ways in which he’s changed after all.”

Things began to click in Kaoru’s head, and he felt a chill run down his spine. Ready for the camera at any time, regardless of scandal or shame, hadn’t that been the same lesson Rei had once tried to impart on him? He didn’t even think to question where the man got the idea, if only because the means were so outlandish on their own. Kaoru’s mind began to wonder, and then he felt himself pry at the door, unsure if it was his place to do so.

“How many pictures do you think you took of him?” Kaoru asked, focusing only on Rei at that moment. He placed his hand on the man’s chest, catching his attention briefly. “Do you still have any? If you do, I think what Tomoe-san said...I guess it’s a bit extremist, but still, I hope you didn’t dispose of them or anything like that. I don’t know everything that went down, and I don’t expect you to tell me everything. Just that, if there was anything happy from back then, I think you should hold onto them.”

Rei kept his focus on Kaoru, lips set in a straight line and eyelids lowered. Then, his hand that was on the couch began to slip down, a hand fumbling into his pocket. Kaoru eyed the action and felt his heart began to race. He had one on him now? Did he bring one because he knew he’d be reunited with Hiyori today? Or did he always carry it? A thousand questions came to mind, but Kaoru chose silence as the best option, not wanting to scare Rei off.

Trying his best to act as though he wasn’t expecting anything, he turned his head back to the other side of the room and found himself facing another difficult situation. An intimate moment was unfolding, and Kaoru’s face flushed a bright pink in an instant. Hiyori was sitting sideways on Nagisa’s lap, face buried into the crook of the man’s neck. His jacket had slipped off of his shoulders, revealing the fact that his turtleneck was sleeveless and thus exposing the skin entirely. Nagisa held his arms firmly around Hiyori’s knees and side, his natural red eyes cast down and focused on his companion’s form. Though the two were close in height, and Kaoru stood the same as Nagisa, Hiyori looked so entirely small in the man’s arms with how far curled up he was.

Kaoru finally turned his head back to Rei, feeling intrusive for having stared so much at the other two. When he had, however, he saw that Rei had removed his hand from his pocket entirely, seemingly foregoing sharing whatever it was he was planning before. Though a little disappointed, Kaoru understood and assumed just the chat they shared was likely enough.

“...Kaoru-kun.”

The soft voice that addressed him echoed in the karaoke box, a strangely quiet atmosphere having settled within. Kaoru returned his attention to Nagisa, seeing that even Hiyori was surprised at the name that the man said.

“...Would you like to go pick up dessert?” Nagisa asked. Kaoru watched as Hiyori’s eyes widened, feeling the guilt settle in. “...There’s a crepe shop around the corner from here. I think we should be able to pick up something from there that everyone would like.”

The arm around Kaoru’s shoulder stiffened, and then began to slowly relax. Kaoru looked over to Rei and saw that he had his gaze fixed straight ahead; ahead towards Hiyori. Was this something they planned together in silence? Or did Nagisa catch onto Rei’s wishes better than Kaoru could? Maybe that was the case, he knew he wasn’t alone in finding some similarities in the two’s temperaments. Taking a deep breath, Kaoru nodded towards Nagisa and stood to his feet.

“Yeah, sounds like a good idea, Ran-kun!” Kaoru agreed, attempting to sound as enthusiastic as possible. He could see the way Hiyori attempted to cling to Nagisa before the man settled him down, standing up to meet Kaoru. “We’ll be back soon hopefully. The line can’t be that bad, right?”

Though Kaoru was doing his best to remain positive, he couldn’t help but look back at the scene before they closed the door. Hiyori and Rei, eyes locked on each other, and the tension was only growing with each second. Kaoru took in one last inhale before shutting the door behind him completely, hoping that he and Nagisa weren’t making a mistake in doing this.

* * *

{Three Years Ago, November}

* * *

Flings didn’t last long for Rei. From the moment he grew sexually curious, he’d gone and gotten himself bored. The types of people who he got into bed with were few and far in-between, and by now he accepted that anyone he did run into that piqued his interest would only last a night. That was, until he found himself over a month into a relationship with Hiyori. Was it a relationship? Or should he have just considered it a prolonged union? He wasn’t sure, treating it like he was dragging something out for more than it should have felt disingenuous to the fun he was still having with the boy. Looking back on everything, he’d never have expected it.

From his first meeting with the boy in the library, he’d assumed a lot of things about Hiyori that had yet to be proven if they were the truth or not. He was bratty, a complete princess in both demeanor and demand, and arrogant to a fault. His weakness was incredibly exploitable, his arrogance left him vulnerable, and everything about him screamed shallow. Despite that, Rei wasn’t bored. In fact, he only continued to find those aspects about the other interesting enough to play around with. Whether it was seeing the boy’s reaction to the true price of the world around him, or dragging him out to places he shouldn’t be going, getting to see the boy’s reactions was what made everything all the more fun.

Maybe one day he’d convince the boy he wasn’t all that bad and that he could get to know Nagisa a little better, but for now, knowing Hiyori wasn’t bad in the slightest. If anything, it certainly helped convince him to attend school. When rumors went out about his presence in the building, he’d either find Hiyori hanging around Nagisa or Hiyori finding _him_ in order to prevent Rei from finding where Nagisa had wandered off to. Either way, the boy was the one who ended up at Rei’s place most nights.

Sitting on an armchair across the hall from the base of the stairs, Rei slumped into the back of the seat with his hands resting folded across his chest. He eyed the steps impatiently, fingers fiddling with the buttons of his long coat and wondering what could be taking so long. They were supposed to be going to a concert, one at the club Rei frequented. It was actually a birthday gift—he was supposed to hop on stage and then surprise the kid by making the boy jump up there with him. Considering how much Hiyori talked on and on about becoming an idol with Nagisa, he wanted to rest the boy’s spirit and see for himself what kind of idol Hiyori Tomoe was.

When he announced the invitation, or date as Hiyori called it in order to “mock” Rei, Hiyori stated that he needed a disguise. Apparently, somewhere that close to the red light district wasn’t appropriate for a son of the Tomoe Foundation to go. So without any knowledge of Rei’s secret plans, he demanded the man fund him a disguise. Rei figured it wouldn’t be more than a pair of glasses and a hat, maybe a scarf or face mask as well. Instead, he found his card that he let the boy borrow charged to what Rei would normally spend in a month. Maybe he’d been duped, but he wouldn’t know that until he saw the disguise for himself. That was why he was sat like a fool, waiting for a boy who’d probably snuck out the window on the eve of his birthnight.

“Okay, I’m coming down,” Hiyori’s voice rang from up in the hallway. Rei instantly shot up to his feet and threw his hands in the pockets of his coat, stepping closer to the base of the stairs.

“Took you long enough,” Rei shouted up, “did you get cold feet or somethin’?”

“No, no,” Hiyori called back, “I’m actually a little excited. That is, um, you’re at the foot of the stairs, right? Could you...Take a few steps back?”

The request was so genuine and even openly vulnerable, it took Rei back a bit. Who was Hiyori to act that way towards him? Furrowing his brow, he obeyed the request but was now all the more fascinated at the silhouette that appeared at the top of the dark staircase.

The Sakuma household was a poorly lit house by design. The best sources of light came from orange lamps in corners, bright enough to read words on a page with ease when directly under them but not for walking around. There were a few extra lights that seldom got used, if only because everyone in the family felt accustomed to having them off, but Rei couldn’t help himself. He started pulling strings and turning knobs, getting any lamp in the vicinity that he could find on. He checked back on the stairs to see if the lighting was any better and stopped dead in his tracks. His jaw dropped, a hand tugging down on a standing floor lamp gripping it tight enough to make it nearly tilt over.

Hiyori’s idea of a disguise wasn’t just masking who he was, but rather, becoming an entirely different person altogether. Rather than change his appearance by stage makeup or other costume means, he’d chosen a more drastic approach—he’d become a girl.

Long, flowing green curly hair tucked off into a ponytail with a blue ribbon over her right shoulder, mirroring Nagisa’s natural hair. It looked natural enough to be mistaken for the boy’s real hair, and thinking back to his credit card statement, Rei could assume the material used was just that. The wig was covered up by a black beret, looking naturally fitting with Hiyori’s round face. Speaking of, his makeup applied was heavier than normal, but not intensely so. A blush pink on his lips complemented his hair well, and fake eyelashes helped make his amethyst eyes stand out as the center point of his face.

Rei lowered his gaze and saw that the majority of Hiyori’s outfit was covered by the black peacoat he wore, save for the pink skirt that went down to the boy’s knees. Judging by the matching shade that peaked through the collar of the coat, Rei could assume it was a dress. Finishing off the look, Hiyori wore black tights and a pair of short heeled leather Mary Jane shoes, fit for dancing. The word “dance” found itself stuck in his head, encouraged by Hiyori’s habit of correcting him to use it whenever Rei referred to intercourse. Yeah, he’d sure like to go dancing right now.

“Rei-kun, it’s going to fall,” Hiyori warned from his position in the middle of the staircase, hand on the large wooden bannister.

Rei turned his head and found the lamp he was holding onto threatening to throw glass in his face. He quickly pushed it back and then was forced to catch it in a dip, staying completely still until he felt confident to sit it back on its stand. He let go slowly, stepping back with hands extended. Once he was confident it was fine, he turned himself back to look at Hiyori. The boy held his curled up hand over his mouth, the corners of his lips turned up. Though Rei had seen Hiyori’s smile plenty of times by now, he couldn’t help but feel his heart race at the sight of it tonight. Who was this chick, and what had they done with his nighttime companion?

“Hm~ I guess I surprised you,” Hiyori remarked, lowering his hand to his side and continuing to step down the stairs. “I’ll freely admit I might have gone overboard, but this should also guarantee that I have no chance of being caught.”

“Yeah, that’s, uh, that’s for sure,” Rei scratched the back of his head, getting closer to the stairs. Hiyori stood still for a bit before continuing down to the next step, their eyes meeting all the while. “Shit, baby. You look really fucking good.”

“Language,” Hiyori chided, gentler than he normally did and the pink blush on his face betraying his supposed anger, “but thank you. I worked hard on getting everything to look right. You’ll have the pleasure of having the most beautiful dance partner on your arm all evening~”

“Damn right,” Rei put his hand down over Hiyori’s on the banister. Hiyori visibly winced at the action, never quite getting used to how cold his senpai was. Rei’s skin meanwhile felt like it was burning, and he couldn’t help but curl his fingers before he eventually grew accustomed to the heat. “But y’know, I gotta say, it’s probably not a great idea.”

Amethyst eyes widened at the statement before the boy’s brow furrowed. Rei remained calm, rubbing his thumb over Hiyori’s own and letting out a sigh.

“It’s not like the guys there’re really throwin’ the birthday bash for me or anythin’,” Rei went on, “they just want an excuse to party. Still, I’m expected, an’ they’re gonna be treatin’ me like there idol the entire time. Sure, showin’ up with the hottest babe they’ve ever gotten the chance to see on my arm’ll be fun in the moment, but what about after? Delinquent or not, I’m still an idol. What do you think would happen to my career if I’d shown that I was takin’ girls to parties with me?”

Hiyori’s lower lip began to tremble, and though the boy was usually quick to retort, his watery purple eyes betrayed how troubled he was. Baring a wider smirk, Rei gripped Hiyori’s hand tighter and pulled him down, wrapping his arm around the first year’s waist and catching him neatly in his own arms. Hiyori now stood at the bottom step of the stairs, face slight above Rei’s and mouth agape with shock. The senior leaned in and held the hand he grasped tightly as he linked their fingers.

“C’mon, don’t look at me like that,” Rei chuckled, watching as Hiyori closed his mouth to swallow. “Yeah, it is dangerous for me to be seen with you. But it’s a lot bolder of you to come up with this disguise in the first place. If anything, _yer_ the one more at risk of scandal here. Don’t worry, I’ll protect you, and I definitely ain’t lettin’ you change now. We both got some time before the world really gives a damn about us, so let’s go wild while we still can.”

Hiyori’s free hand, which had originally laid limply against Rei’s chest, relaxed and then slipped up past his shoulder, wrapping his arm around the man’s neck. The boy let out a sigh and fell further into Rei’s hold, their foreheads connecting and noses brushing together.

“You’re awful, Rei-kun,” Hiyori grumbled, “instilling fear in your princess for the sake of a tease. How can I expect you to treat me like a lady tonight if you’re so eager to see me in distress? You’re nothing more than a careless teenage boy who’s unable to empathize.”

“Can’t say yer wrong there,” Rei admitted, letting go of Hiyori’s hand and letting it slink around the boy’s back. “I accepted long ago that I ain’t a good person, but that doesn’t excuse how I treat people, right? Even if others wanna call me a god, yer adamant on me bein’ as human as anyone else. I like that. So I’ll tell you what, princess, let’s be a normal couple tonight. Yer my smokin’ hot girlfriend, and I’m yer bad-boy boyfriend. How’s that sound?”

“Boyfriend...?” Hiyori repeated the word, blush growing over on his face. His eyes darted around, surveying Rei’s face as if looking for an explanation. “I don’t...Hm. What a weird thing for you to say. I don’t dislike it though. Just to be sure though, you’re only saying this because of my costume, yes?”

“There a problem me saying it any other time?” Rei returned.

“No,” Hiyori mumbled, the fingers around Rei’s neck curling into his jacket’s collar. “I guess it’s not...I’m just a little surprised by you. We’re nothing serious, right?”

Rather than sounding put off by the proposition, Hiyori sounded tentatively curious at Rei’s true intentions. Rei, in turn, squeezed the boy closer and watched as the blush on the other’s face spread wide.

“Yer cute when you try to act all big like this,” Rei drawled. “I call you princess when you wear yer uniform, what makes you think I won’t call you my girlfriend in the same context?”

Hiyori let out a burst of incoherent stutters, Rei only really getting a mention of Nagisa’s name somewhere within. Of course, it was always Nagisa. The boy he was once more interested in over Hiyori was now always being compared to him, as if Hiyori needed to assert why he couldn’t be with Rei at all. And yet he was, and it was for what Rei could assume were similar reasons as to why Hiyori loved the strangely quiet boy in the first place. They were alike, after all, Rei noticed that the first time he came across the white haired boy in the library. No matter how much Hiyori tried to deny it, Rei would get the other to acknowledge the shift in their relationship somehow.

Instead of using words, however, he only needed to act. He pressed their lips together as Hiyori spoke, silencing the boy altogether. The first year attempted to resist for just a moment before collapsing into Rei altogether, lips wrapping around each other. Hot and cold, unifying until it became one temperature, an irresistible trap for the senses. Once they pulled back for breath, Rei was the first to speak.

“Don’t worry about things like that,” the senior spoke, softer than usual, “so what if what we got is casual or not? We’re havin’ fun, ain’t we? Live the teenage dream, date two guys at once and don’t give a shit about what other people think. Life’s too boring when you care about things like infidelity and other people’s happiness before yer own. Are you really gonna say it’s all been bad, every moment you’ve been with me? Bad enough that you can’t even stomach me calling you my girlfriend from time to time?”

Rei lowered Hiyori down onto the floor, the boy’s height falling with it. Rei stood above the first year, his round face caught frozen with lips agape and eyes wide. All the same, the boy didn’t let go, and after a moment he watched as Hiyori’s mouth closed and the sound of him swallowing could be heard.

“No,” Hiyori admitted, shoulders tensing, “I haven’t been having the worst of times. Despite how much you stink, I guess...I guess you could say I really do enjoy being with you more than I thought I would. My heart won’t ever belong to you, you know, right? But I suppose for now, it’s fine to pretend. Just treat me right, and act like I won’t ever leave you one day. Who knows, maybe you’ll make me happy enough to stay for longer than I intended.”

“Hm~ that’ll be amusin’,” Rei responded, “I’ll give it my best, then. Now, you ready to get goin’?”

“I am,” Hiyori answered, “oh, but—“ Hiyori’s hand reached up and pressed itself to Rei’s face. The heat coming from the touch was excruciating, especially as it placed a thumb across Rei’s lips. “Um, my lipstick smudged itself on your mouth.”

“Leave it, then,” Rei murmured as he pulled the hand away, stepping back away from their embrace. Hiyori stumbled forward, and Rei placed his other hand on top of the boy’s beret to steady him. He tilted his head to the side and smirked, pursing his lips together to feel the makeup that rubbed on. “At least this way, no one’ll mistake our relationship, yeah?”

“What?” Hiyori’s face burned anew, batting say the hand on his head unsuccessfully. “But I thought you said it would be bad if people thought we were in a relationship! It’s the first time I’ve heard you talk about being an idol so seriously, I thought—“

“I do take it seriously,” Rei winked, “mostly. I don’t mind playing around with this kind of scandal, though. I ain’t the kind to play nicely with the girlies anyway, it’d be a different thing entirely if I had a playboy character. Don’t worry about a thing, just play my newly acquired girlfriend who wants to have a good time with me on my birthday.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever stop worrying!” Hiyori exclaimed, his words wavering as he was pulled along by Rei to the exit. Then, in a whisper the senior could barely hear, the boy spoke once more. “I’ll always have fun when I’m with you somehow, Rei-kun.”

“Sorry, what was that?” Rei asked, turning his head back.

“Nothing,” Hiyori quickly defended, “I spoke nothing more than my concern.”

“Right,” Rei let out a dry chuckle before unlocking the door. He turned his head back just enough to see the boy, gripping his ridiculously warm hand a little tighter. “I have fun with you too, Hiyori-chan.”

The door to the house swung open, and the last thing Rei saw before turning to face forward was a smile forming upon those rosy pink cheeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you’ve ever wondered what my music recommendations are for when reading this, I’ll recommend to you the album Endless Summer by The Midnight. Even tho this fic takes place in Autumn/Winter, they do have the vibes of a fiery summer romance, don’t they?


	5. Late Night in December

A _konbini_ attached to a mall, albeit with no entrance from the mall into the store itself, only accessible from outside. Rei parked his motorcycle adjacent to the building, and Hiyori quickly hopped off as he headed to the entrance. Rubbing his gloved fingers as he waited for the automatic door to open, the warm air of the vestibule was still far too cool for Hiyori’s needs, but he’d take what he could get. A phantom hand reached around and grabbed at his ass through the the long peacoat he wore, eliciting a disgusted groan from Hiyori as he directed a glare at the one who touched him. The one who was playing with his heart as if it didn’t exist at all; that was the person Hiyori had allowed himself to associate with.

The moment they entered the _konbini_ properly, Hiyori quickly darted off to the side, rushing over to where the packaged snacks laid. He scooped them into a basket he’d grabbed at the entrance and forced himself to eye the prices for a few. He hated having to do that. He hated having to come here at all. A place like this was completely alien to him only a year ago, and now he was used to them entirely. He’d grown used to counting his coins and keeping a budget, all with the hopes that his family’s fortune would turn around at some point and he could start living again. For now, he was a princess forced to play a pauper, and he despised every second of it.

“Got what you need, princess?” The low buttery tone of Rei Sakuma’s voice rang in Hiyori’s head like a bad headache, greeting the man by throwing his basket into the other’s stomach.

“Almost,” Hiyori answered, “be a good boyfriend for once and carry this for me.”

“Oho, but I like being bad~” Rei chuckled as he took the handle of the basket and then walked closer, wrapping his arm around Hiyori’s waist and pinning him close. The scarf around Hiyori’s face fell, revealing the blush lipstick he wore on his slightly agape mouth. Rei brought his face in closer, his natural chill mingling and clashing with Hiyori’s own heat. Red eyes bore down into Hiyori’s own amethyst ones, forcing an exasperated sigh out of the one being grasped.

“It’s hard to tell if you’re emboldened by my disguise or not,” Hiyori remarked, “you act exactly the same whether or not I’m wearing a wig.”

“Mm,” Rei purred as he put the basket on the ground and curled a finger around one of the long green locks of said wig. “I gotta say, it suits you well. It’d be even better if it were really yers, then I could tug on it while we’re dancin’.”

“As if I’d ever let you do that,” Hiyori huffed, “my hair, natural or otherwise, is a treasure that should be handled as such. Besides, so long as I remain a Tomoe, my hair can never grow longer than where it sits now at my neck.”

“Then become a Sakuma,” Rei teased, brushing the tips of their noses together. The difference in temperature briefly paralyzed Hiyori, forcing him to hear the other out. “My family won’t care what you wanna wear or present yerself like. We can even get Nagi-chan to join in too, if the princess demands it.”

“As if I’d ever leave my family!” Hiyori finally snapped, speaking in a harsh whisper. “As if I’d ever let Nagisa-kun know I let you touch me like this. As if I’d even think of marrying you at all. You’re delusional, Rei-kun, a larger fool than Don Quixote.”

“What can I say?” Rei shrugged as his hand moved around the boy’s waist slipped a little further south. “I like ass.”

“I know that already,” Hiyori rolled his eyes and pushed at Rei’s chest, “now let me go. I need to see what mineral water brands they carry here.”

“I’m not lettin’ you go without a smooch,” Rei denied as he tugged Hiyori’s body closer to his own. The demand brought an unfortunate weakness to Hiyori’s knees, and he found himself gripping the fabric around Rei’s shoulders tightly.

“What a bother,” Hiyori murmured, eyeing the _konbini’s_ security camera off in the corner, “at least smile for the lens before you do.”

Rei obeyed that one small request and flashed a cheesy grin at the cam before quickly turning his head and closing the gap between them. Fire mixed with ice in a cocktail of flavors, smokiness from cigs meeting sweet citrus. Hiyori hated kissing Rei so much. He hated how much he tasted like how the club he frequented smelled, and worse still, how awfully cold he was. Colder than Nagisa, colder than snow, enough to chill even the warm sun. Despite that, he kissed back in hopes he could get him to heat up any, let those sharp teeth graze over his lips in hopes they’d be melted by his blood. Not now, though. Even Rei wasn’t brave enough to make Hiyori bleed in public. No, they’d save that for later most likely. Later, when they’d be on Rei’s motorcycle and he stopped it in front of his house, saying it’s already too late for Hiyori to go home and he should just stay over. Hiyori would put up as little of a fight as possible before being dragged inside, clutching Rei’s hand and wondering how it remained so cold even when they’d held each other’s so many times.

The kiss broke, and a heaviness set in as Hiyori was forced to come back and face the reality he was in. No matter how many times he reminded himself that he was here in order to stop Rei from making a move on Nagisa, no matter how much he told himself that all of this would be meaningless in the future, he couldn’t deny one simple fact: he enjoyed it. He enjoyed every moment he spent with Rei Sakuma, from the way those cold lips burned against his own, to the wry cracks in his laugh as he listened to Hiyori berate him again. He enjoyed hunting the man down when it was suspected when he was at school, only to be groped from behind by a horny Rei that came solely to play with him. It was as if Hiyori’s initial fears didn’t exist at all anymore; Rei hardly even asked about Nagisa these days anyway. If he did, it was just to get a rise out of the green boy, and Hiyori hated falling for it every time.

Was this love? Hiyori wasn’t sure. He was terrified to know the truth, actually. Love beforehand had been a simple word. Love was the respect he held for his parents, the one that made him want to be a loyal and caring son even as they judged every mistake he made that affected them harshly while ignoring his accomplishments. Love was the comfort he found in his brother, who looked after him when no one else would, the only adult he could rely upon caring for him the majority of his youth. Love was the companionship between he and Nagisa, their lives having only just begun from the moment of their miraculous meeting. Staring into the deep red gaze that held him captive with their benign malice, Hiyori couldn’t tell if any of those definitions matched what he felt towards Rei. Rather, he was scared to apply any of them, as none seemed to fit properly. If this was love, it was entirely unknowable, and for once he could empathize with Nagisa’s difficulty in understanding the word. He just wished that such a revelation didn’t come from the demon king himself.

“Keep your word,” Hiyori reminded as he caught Rei leaning in again. The man stilled, and then slowly his arms relinquished their grasp like two slithering snakes loosening their constriction. As much as Hiyori felt conflicted in his feelings for Rei, he could always rely upon the fact that it was easy enough to make the man follow his rules. He seemed to find entertainment in them, somehow.

“As you say,” Rei obliged as he raised his hands in the air, “I wouldn’t want to freeze you here anyway. Better to do it when yer nipples are open game and I get to watch you shiver.”

Hiyori ignored the other altogether as he turned around, refraining from rubbing his hands over his arms. He couldn’t let his discomfort at the chill be known. He always had to be warmer than Rei Sakuma could ever infect him with his ice. No, he’d deal with the cold and kiss it until it heated into something not quite hot yet not too cool either. That strange equilibrium where Hiyori found his body temperature dragged down a few degrees while Rei was elevated until they met somewhere in the middle, that was the most he could manage. Giving himself away in order to fill the other with something, that was all Hiyori knew how to do.

“Got what you like?” Rei asked, his voice husky and sounding even a little tired. Hiyori knew better, however. That sleepy air he put on went away as soon as Rei found something to occupy his time, and Hiyori kept his distance for now.

“Surprisingly, yes,” Hiyori replied triumphantly as he grabbed the large bottle from the _konbini’s_ fridge. It was cool in a pleasant way, one that promised refreshment and palette cleansing. He didn’t have to be concerned about Rei’s stinky breath being all Hiyori had to taste on his tongue for the rest of the night.

“Then let’s get goin’ already,” Rei droned, “we gotta get you back to yer folks’ home, right?”

As if that would be the case. Hiyori avoided eye contact and threw his bottle into the basket, heading to the cash register with Rei behind him. The college aged man behind the counter didn’t look eager to talk, which was fine for Hiyori. His voice helped him pass in any case, so he was never concerned about that. More than anything, he wanted things to be over and done with. Do his duties and move on to the next day. Maybe he could even convince Nagisa with one of the snacks he got to stop talking to Rei altogether, and he could leave the man behind. Though even thinking of doing that made his own heart ache; he’d tried it once before, and all it did was lead him to follow Rei home the next night. For now, he had to remain a wall that could take any attack flung at it, knowing fully well it’d be no use.

Another squeeze to his ass, and this time Hiyori was expecting it. A voice in his ear spoke while the employee slowly scanned each item and bagged them one by one. Hiyori was forced to listen to the man’s offer, and the lightness of his pockets weighed heavy on his soul.

“Let me get this for you, princess. Yer family’s not doin’ too good on cash, right? I won’t expect anythin’ back, just yer time.”

He’d taken deals like this far too many times from the other to deny him now. From the first time Hiyori caved, he seemed to make the mistake of accepting the offers faster and faster, and trying to say no now would just be pointless. Hiyori wasn’t blind to Rei’s intentions, not one bit, and he seemed to revel in the thrill of what excuse Hiyori would give him this time as to why he would take it. Not this time, however. He’d deny the other that satisfaction and be grateful for once.

“...Fine then, thank you.”

Silence followed, Rei’s presence seeming to fade altogether. Even as Hiyori watched the man hand a ¥2000 note to the cashier, it was like he’d disappeared. Soon, his cold touch evaporated, leaving Hiyori shivering harder than when it had been on him. He grabbed his bagged items in a rush and darted towards the door, tripping over into the vestibule. Tears welled up in his eyes, his heart freezing over as the cold from the outside started to seep in. As he picked himself up and the squished goods in his bag, he sniffed and muttered a word strange to his tongue.

_“Shit!”_

Rei, who seemingly faded away altogether, suddenly stood before him in the automatic door’s frame. Rather than offering to help, he just stood there, unmoved by the pitiful display. Hiyori finally stood up straight, staring back at an emotionless pair of red eyes that looked at him like he was a stranger. The dam broke; Hiyori, feeling more alone than ever at just the sight of Rei’s face, couldn’t control the hot tears that rolled down his cheeks.

It was only once Hiyori closed his eyes that he felt his face buried within the chest that gave him nothing but complicated feelings. Rather than succumb to the arms moving in to embrace him, Hiyori fought. He fought harder than usual, and it appeared to catch Rei off guard, because before he knew it he found himself ducking out of the grasp and rushing to the outside door of the vestibule. Cold; everything in the world stung the boy bright enough to be called the sun with ice, and he felt his knees grow weak again. Still, as chasing hands grabbed at him, he found his waning strength revive again and again until it was finally outmatched, and he was forced to sob openly into Rei’s chest. The parking lot they stood on was a slope, and Rei was the one closest to the store, and given his natural height he seemed to tower over Hiyori who stood on the lower ground. Rei slipped a hand beneath Hiyori’s scarf and brushed his cold thumb against the nape of the boy’s neck. Hiyori’s shivers multiplied in on themselves, but eventually his sobbing started to slow as he was forced to accept the horribly gentle touch.

“...God, I really fucked up just then,” Rei mumbled, lowering his head. Hiyori slowly turned his up in response; his glare must have been unusually effective for once, as the man stopped his momentum forward upon receiving the look. “Yeah, yeah I really did. I’m sorry.”

The words were genuine, and Hiyori didn’t have it in him to be petty at the moment. Instead of reject the words or ask why, he let the embrace deepen as he sunk his face further into Rei’s chest, listening to the heartbeat within. He let out a small whine, his arms still firmly tucked around the squished bag in his arms. He didn’t know what contents were ruined yet or not, so he could only assume the whole package had been spoiled.

“...Hey, do you want me to take you back to yer folks place?”

The words hit hard like a slap to the face, and Hiyori couldn’t help but let out a gasp as he lifted his chin and stared at the unreadable expression Rei wore, brows raised as high as Hiyori’s own. Rather than sprout tears alone, Hiyori’s cheeks flared as a newfound anger boiled up within him against the cold.

“Why?” Hiyori’s voice cracked, but he ignored the vulnerability and persisted. “Why are you trying to leave me all of a sudden? I act grateful to you once and you let your true colors show. You hate it when I don’t play with you, I don’t matter in the slightest to you, do I?! I really am just a piece of ass to you, a toy you can play with that you only have to pretend you need to win over. If I don’t play the game, if I grow tired of it and lean on you, you just pull away. I can hardly even rely upon you to cuddle me after you use me. If I told you how I really felt about you, if I stopped denying it because of my pride, you’d just run away and I might never see you again. Is that what you want, Rei-kun? Have you been waiting for me to say ‘I love you’ all this time so you can just go away forever?”

The words escaped Hiyori faster than he could think them through. Strangely enough, rather than fear their consequence, he felt relieved. He’d been holding everything within for so long, it was as though he was free for the first time in ages. Now he was ready for the end. He was ready for Rei to release him, get on his motorcycle, and abandon him out in the cold. He would hurt, but he would live. He’d live because he had love, even if he now knew what heartbreak tasted like.

“...W-What?”

That was the first time Hiyori had ever heard the man stutter. It was atrociously vulnerable, and Hiyori instantly understood he was about to face an even worse rejection. Before Rei could explain himself, Hiyori broke free from the embrace and found it disgustingly easy to do. Just as he was about to speak again, however, Rei attempted to pull him back in. The incline was sharper than expected, and Hiyori let out a shriek as he felt himself be pushed backwards. Instead of hitting the ground, Rei somehow managed to catch them both by taking a bigger step forward, holding Hiyori in a dip. Their faces lined up properly, Rei completely above him. Though the light of the street was dim, it was bright enough to see the deep red blush that had spread across the man’s face, matched with a pair of eyes bulging out of his skull.

What followed next was even worse. The cigarette-rank breath that Hiyori despised pressed itself within his mouth. Hiyori struggled to find his footing, and once he did he pushed further into the unwanted kiss and pulled away once he could stand on his own. Taking a step back, he found himself bumping into the familiar shape of Rei’s motorcycle. Rather than taking a step towards Hiyori as he had been doing however, Rei finally respected the distance and remained where he was with hands at his side.

“Don’t say something pointless,” Hiyori warned, “or try to give an excuse for your actions. You can’t kiss or fuck your way out of this.” The Tomoe’s second son using such language was inexcusable, but he couldn’t help himself. He wouldn’t be able to get his point across without finally stooping down to Rei’s level, as excruciating a thought that was. Unfortunately, it seemed the language he used came without much difficulty.

“I know,” Rei nodded, bringing his hands up to his head and burying themselves in his greasy black hair. “I know, I don’t normally have this problem. I’m better with my words than this, it’s my thing. I don’t know why I’m having so much trouble right now. Shit.”

“What are you having trouble with?” Hiyori questioned. He was sort of relishing the power he had in that moment. Turning the tides, Hiyori was the one giving Rei less space to run away. If he wanted to talk his way out, he’d have to settle for the fact that Hiyori, even when standing on lower ground, stood taller than him. “Was it _that_ word that’s silenced you? Can you not grasp the gravity of love? Does it frighten you? Fill you with a desire to run away? If you really want to avoid hurting me further, then just do it. Just go. Never look at me again, and never _ever_ expect me to forgive you.”

Rei gradually dropped his hands from his head, his expression settling into deep reflection. Hiyori’s body began to tremble without his permission, waiting expectantly for the man to make his decision. Pulling his feet together, he watched Rei take a step forward and planned his escape. The senior seemed to notice the tenseness in his shoulders and halted again, closing his mouth fully before opening to speak.

“I love you,” Rei said in a clear, low voice that couldn’t be misheard or misdirected.

Hiyori’s confident wall shattered in an instant. He wanted to call the other a liar, accuse him of playing with Hiyori’s heart further, but he couldn’t. He’d never seen the man before him so vulnerable before; his stance was slouched forward, expression pained, and the blush on his face completely visible in the night. Shivers overtook Hiyori once more, quivering at the honesty he had never expected to hear.

“Hiyori-kun,” Rei addressed more formally, inching closer without stop, “I’m not evil. I’m not a god either, I can’t read yer mind. I had no idea you were actually starting to like me like that, and I just assumed you were beginning to grow comfortable with us dating at all. I didn’t even know you wanted me to cuddle you, since you always complain about how cold I am. I can do that though, I _wanna_ hold you. When you thanked me back then, it caught me off guard, and I wandered off because I wanted to ask you about it outside. Then you fell, and I heard you swear for the first time. I got so shocked that I froze up, up until I saw you cry. I know these are all _really_ bad excuses, I know you told me not to give you them, but I’m just tryin’ to explain what was goin’ through my head. Yer not a god either, you kept tryin’ to come up with yer own reasons for my actions an’ it caused you to think the worst of me. I don’t want you to anymore. I want you to recognize there’s more to me than that. Yer the one who keeps makin’ life feel new and interestin’ again. Not Nagi-chan or anyone else, you.”

Ice turned to fire, up became down, and Rei Sakuma smelled like home. They weren’t touching just yet, but the man was standing just inches before him, waiting for Hiyori’s word. Rather than focus on the cigarette on the other’s breath as he usually did, Hiyori instead found his attention drawn to the woody musk coming from the man’s sweat; a warm scent in contrast to his cold skin. Memories of drowning himself in Rei’s body as it heated up thanks to his own efforts flooded Hiyori’s mind, and just the gentle brush of a hand pushing back a lock of green hair behind his ear was enough to break him entirely.

“Kiss me,” Hiyori begged, dropping the bag in his arms and instead gripping Rei’s jacket as he felt the item fall between their feet. “Now.”

It wasn’t warm. Like with any of their other kisses, Hiyori was met with nothing but an icy chill on his lips. That was okay though. He’d make Rei melt again and again, and he’d enjoy what warmth he could make the other feel. After all, he’d already melted the man’s heart, enough so that Rei could melt in turn the ice that had formed around Hiyori’s own.

They parted in silence, a strong feeling rising within Hiyori’s chest and likely the same happening for the man in his arms. Before they could act on anything however, Rei’s foot kicked at the bag at their feet and brought his attention towards it. After a moment of staring, he reached down and picked it up.

“Do you want me to go inside and get you new ones?” Rei asked. “I can also pick up some wine, then we can get goin’. To my place, that is.”

Hiyori appreciated the clarification more than he expected. He sat himself down against the seat of the motorcycle, giving a small smile as he nodded.

“I’ll be back quick then,” Rei stated before rushing back up the slope to the store.

Hiyori, left in the silent cold, had nothing but his thoughts to occupy him and found that a scary position to be in. He found his mind wandering back to when Rei teased him about becoming a Sakuma, and though he only focused on the ridiculousness of the idea at first, he didn’t even contemplate why Rei was making such a joke in the first place. In fact, the more he thought about it, he wondered what would have happened if he said yes. What if he even hesitated to deny the idea? Would Rei have asked him about his feelings then? Or would he have revealed that he meant the words entirely? Was Hiyori the one holding them back this entire time? Was his own indecisiveness about how he felt about Rei and his horrible perception about the man’s character the thing causing them separation in the first place? His heart sunk deep, and Hiyori felt he might cry again. When did he become so cold hearted?

Rei exited the store, and suddenly warmth took over Hiyori’s sad thoughts. Just seeing the man turn back to face him made his chest swell, and he stood up to take the new bag away from Rei, feeling the heaviness of the wine bottle tucked off in its own paper container.

“Guy didn’t even card me,” Rei grinned, petting Hiyori’s head through his beret, “just asked me if my girlfriend smoked too and only charged me for the wine. If you ever wanna reenact what we just did anywhere else, we could get a lotta shit for free I bet.”

“Language,” Hiyori chided out of habit, knowing it was a mistake the moment Rei’s grin took the majority of his vision.

“Hey, hey~” Rei sang in a saccharine tone, “don’t you try an’ start that now. I know yer true colors too.”

“I hardly know what you mean,” Hiyori denied, turning up his nose, “if you mean my words from earlier, it was merely a calculated attempt to speak in a way that you couldn’t misinterpret. Now that I’m back to my proper character, you should elevate yourself to meet me.”

“Naw,” Rei denied, “that don’t seem fair. I’m just gonna continue to be a delinquent, I think, it’s more fun.”

“Hmph,” Hiyori pouted, “fine, be that way. I must tell you however that whatever ‘bad boy’ character you think you have is really just a—“

“An asshole?”

“A _loser._ ”

“How about both?”

“Stop it! I refuse to kiss someone with such a foul mouth.”

“Oho, are you bein’ serious about that?” Rei leaned in and pinned Hiyori to the bike, his grin curled up demonically. “Tell ya what, I won’t make ya kiss me right now if you beg me to fuck you tonight. With those words, enough dancin’ around what you mean.”

“I beg your _pardon_?” Hiyori gawked, forced to reel back as Rei leaned in.

“You heard me, princess, what’s it gonna be?” Rei’s buttery voice spelled Hiyori’s doom, and the boy grasped the bag in his arms tighter.

“Uuu,” he whimpered, “Rei-kun, you’re going to squish the treats again.” The man didn’t relent, and with a defeated sigh, Hiyori caved. “Fine. Rei-kun, I demand that you take me home right this instant and fuck me, you horrible, horrible man!”

Rei betrayed his word and kissed Hiyori hard, taking the bag from the boy’s hand and slipping it into the satchel that hung off of his bike. He then threw their helmets on and pushed the boy into the back seat before hopping on the front. Hiyori wrapped his arms tightly around Rei’s chest, feeling how fast the heart below was racing. Really, how fast was he going to be tonight? For being so horny, Rei was terribly quick in bed. Still, so long as Rei kept his word and held him afterwards, maybe spending the night shivering wouldn’t be such a bad thing after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fun fact, this was the first thing i wrote for this AU. only the ending was completely different. it kinda became the ending of chap 3 and this one evolved into its own thing. also! i'm committed to the next one being the last, and this is the last flashback in this fic, so u know what's up next ;)


	6. Lost at Sea

“Sake?”

Rei poured the bottle ordered just for him into the singular cup provided for it, filling it to the brim and pushing it smoothly across the small coffee table that divided the two couches in the karaoke box. Amethyst eyes glanced down and then back up at Rei before accepting the peace offering. Two hands picked up the cup, brought it to the holder’s mouth, and only brought it down once the cup was finished with a hearty gasp. Just as quickly, the cup was placed down as the man crossed his legs, leaning back onto the couch as his jacket fell further off, bare arms revealed down to his elbows.

“Your tolerance has grown much higher,” Rei noted, receiving the icy glare with a warm smile, “you’ve really grown up.”

“Mm, so I have,” Hiyori sighed, “how unfortunate it is that you should have been part of such a formative time of life. It’s awful weather~”

“Kuku, coming up with a negative version of your idol catchphrase,” Rei remarked, “it’s a rather ingenious move on your part. Only expressing your sadness or frustration through the lens of an idol, like donning a wig before you go out to throw off the paparazzi. You truly do hate being caught unprepared still, don’t you?”

“Quite the contrary,” Hiyori denied, “I’ve grown fond of the way cameras seem naturally drawn to me. Rather, I would like to remain positive if they catch me at an angle that’s less than ideal, if only because I have no bad ones.”

“So arrogance is still your crutch,” Rei concluded, “I suppose if it has carried you this far, there is no need to act as though it does you any harm. No, the more you lean into that, the more success you find, it seems. That must be nice for you, to have everything you want come true without needing to change who you are at your core. I suppose I truly was the foolish one for considering you a failure in the making.”

Hiyori cast a harsh glare at that, burrowing painted red nails into the couch’s seat on either side. His shoulders tensed up, standing out particularly thanks to the revealing outfit he wore for them. Matched with his round cheeks that remained as adorably puffy as they did when he was a boy, Hiyori’s anger was as cute as ever. Just as Rei was getting for a lecture, however, the man seemed to finally remember himself as his lips parted open, shutting just as quick before sitting back in his seat. His gaze cast itself south, and Rei didn’t interrupt the purposeful silence.

“That I can still grow so upset over one of your malicious quips,” Hiyori lamented, “that’s the worst weather of all. Though you’ve changed your manner of speech from something crass to archaic, it doesn’t change the fact that you’re as crude and cruel as I remember you to be. Is it fun for you to see me at my worst? I certainly don’t like it. I don’t like feeling as though my heart has become frozen over, unable to reach out or understand you. It’s ugly—I despise using that word to describe anything in relation to myself, but what else fits?”

“Distressing?” Rei offered. “How about miserable?”

“Ahaha~” Hiyori’s mood shifted so suddenly that Rei practically jumped out of his seat. The elation that spread across the man’s face was wide, and Rei realized too late he just fell for a trap. “I had a suspicion, but confirmation is all the sweeter. Rei-kun is still unable to empathize with me.”

_ “With me.” _ The words isolated rang of victimization, but Rei knew better—Hiyori was being selfish, as he always would, and in the same way he always did.

“Nagisa-kun is so much like you, you don’t have to try to understand him,” Hiyori went on, “and Tsumugi-kun is impossible to dislike, even if you try your hardest. You may not see eye-to-eye with Eichi-kun, but even you try to understand him. It’s just me who can’t be forgiven, right? Hm~ we’re back in the natural order of things, then!”

Anger was slow to rise in Rei. He let it simmer in the pit of his stomach, and could only let it flare for those who really deserved it. He’d choose his words carefully, rational even when enraged. Hiyori, however, melted away his walls and pushed him in ways that disgusted himself. Ah, this was what he meant.

“...So the natural order of this world, in your mind,” Rei rolled the words over on his tongue as he attempted to keep his rage suppressed, “is for us to be at odds with each other? Making each other feel like our worst selves? Is that truly all there is to it?”

“Yep, yep~!” The saccharine tone was like a knife to Rei’s chest, listening on as the bright lights in the room scratched his eyes as loud as a siren would on his ears. “I realized that the moment you called things off for good. You didn’t say a word that wasn’t the truth about me. I’m conceited, I’m arrogant, and I’m selfish. I’m all of those things, and I take the upmost pride in it. Somewhere along the line, it started to properly irritate you that I found confidence in such behavior, and I in turn hated it when you would ignore me in an attempt to train me away from who I am. It didn’t work out for either of us in the end.”

Hearing the order of events from Hiyori’s perspective felt wrong somehow. It’d been too long for him to recall the events exactly, but something felt off. Rei searched the boy’s words as quickly as he could, but there was only so much time for silence before the other could speak again.

“I still remember the sight of you yelling at me like it was yesterday,” Hiyori spoke wistfully, eyes off in another corner of the room. “I’d truly torn you down, hadn’t I? It hurt. Not what you said, but because I made you act in such a way. It was like my dear Aniue had caught me doing something bad and chose to punish me before my parents had to get involved. It was painful, but you were still trying to save me, and I didn’t let you.”

Just like that, the flame that licked at his chest vanished. Rei lifted his head from the floor and was greeted to the sight of Hiyori curled up on the couch with his legs tucked under his thighs, knees held to his chest. Tears were starting to well up in the big amethyst eyes Rei had once memorized the every curve of.

“You’ve found people who you could connect with properly,” Hiyori continued, keeping control of his voice expertly, “and I’ve done the same. I’m happy for you, you know. You found people who make you feel human by bringing out the best in you. You shine, Rei-kun. It’s so easy to see now how I should have never been part of your life. I’ve added nothing to it at all, I only made what humanity you had all the easier for your enemies to strip away, and I ended up one of them. Like how animals or plants coat themselves in poison so they won’t be eaten, it should have been obvious from the moment we touched that we could never make it. We repel each other entirely.”

“...For an individual who often is referred to as the sun, you have quite the bad habit of only seeing the worst in others.” Rei stood up and shrugged off his top-most jacket, the sweat on his neck no longer trapped. “I always thought that was the case for everyone but yourself, however it appears as though you are just as easily susceptible to putting yourself in a bad light.”

Hiyori was watching him closely, tears still refusing to spill out of his eyes and drying faster by the minute. Rei had learned long ago that the easiest way to dry tears wasn’t consolation or humor alone, but confusion. Rei walked over to the ignored karaoke machine and tapped at the screen, growing impatient as his finger refused to register with the liquid crystal display. He must have been tapping for a long time, because eventually a second hand tapped at the area he was hitting, filling the room with music as the machine came to life.

Hiyori was now standing next to him, jacket removed and his arms completely bare. Now standing together side by side for the first time that night, Rei could see the boy had grown quite a bit. He was always a tall boy, but it appeared he still was able to add an extra inch. His body all around looked bigger as well; not from muscle, but from soft, squashy fat. The added cushion was practically radiating with the man’s heat, and Rei wondered if he should shed another layer.

“What are you in the mood for?” Rei asked as he held out a microphone to Hiyori, swinging around his own by its cord. “As the machine is more receptive to your warmth, it should only make sense that you choose what songs we’ll be duetting tonight.”

Hiyori stared hard at Rei, and the vampire merely smiled in return. He wondered in what way Hiyori would try and assume his feelings this time, and how far off the mark he would be.

“Why?”

A straightforward question was the exact opposite of what Rei was expecting out of the other. The hand that whipped the lightweight karaoke microphone around stilled, letting it hang limply instead.

“Why what?” Rei returned, cocking his head to the side.

“You’re trying to be so cool with me now,” Hiyori stated, “and I don’t understand what point there is to it.”

“What point does there have to be?” Rei continued to evade. “You can figure this little mystery out on your own, can’t you?”

Hiyori opened his mouth to protest, but then shut it tight. A smile formed on his face, and then in an instant he went scrolling through the list of songs until he landed on one by the title of “Tentei Opera.”

“Mm~ we’ll do this one, do you know it?” Hiyori asked. Rei shook his head, the preview not ringing any bells. “Ah, it figures! I told Jun-kun to recommend me manga and anime that stimulates the mind, and I’ve found a niche interest in detective works. It won’t be too difficult to unravel your secrets if I’m given the right atmosphere~”

The song began, and Hiyori hyped up the opening notes with a “Hi! Hi! Hi!” It was like watching a magical transformation. One moment, the broken boy still trying to fit his place in the world stood before him, and the next he had become Hiyori Tomoe of Eden, a born idol. That blinding stage presence he was known for took over entirely, and Rei could only react by reflecting what he could.

“Oh, so you  _ can _ dance,” Hiyori commented loudly above the music, “I was under the impression you’d forgotten how. Your unit certainly lacks the panache I expect from you, Rei-kun.”

“I wasn’t aware you were so bothered,” Rei returned, maintaining eye contact with the other. “I suppose it makes sense, considering you were always so adamant about showing off. Are you looking for more fierce competition? An enemy you chew through?”

“Quite the contrary!” Hiyori exclaimed. “I want beautiful boys who can compete with me, fully and completely, so that we’re all able to elevate ourselves to grandest heights~ Of course, my Eden will stand at the top, but that’s to be expected. My Nagisa-kun is a wonderful and noble leader, he’s truly captivated the world with his beauty, hasn’t he?”

“Just as you both did in  _ fine _ ,” Rei nodded.

“Ugh!” Hiyori gagged. “I know you said that on purpose. No, I don’t want to think about that bloody stage ever again, I’ve moved on.”

“Oh, you have?”

“Yes, Yumenosaki is no more than a distant place where I let my flowering dreams wither, for I found the garden I belonged in the moment I took the fruit from that horrible viper.”

“So you say, but you still talk during performances like a true alumni. That stray you share the stage with has expressed dissatisfaction with such behavior, yes?”

“Do  _ not _ refer to Jun-kun as such. He’s been well trained by me, even if he’s still a bit too dour. At least he’s able to play his character consistently, unlike that admittedly adorable dog of yours.”

“Kuku~ he is cute, isn’t he?” Rei stepped closer to Hiyori, the man not pulling away. “He, and the rest of Undead, they were the ones who helped me live on after the destruction of everything we knew.”

Hiyori’s singing didn’t halt, but his movements slowed. Rei stepped closer again, and found the man standing completely still in response.

“Tell me, Hiyori-kun, is the past something you truly wish to throw away?” Rei inquired, speaking through the parts he was supposed to be singing. “You contradict yourself from earlier if your answer is yes. Weren’t you the one to say photos shouldn’t be burned?”

To prove his point, Rei only needed to use one thing. Part of the benefit of not changing out one’s wallet for years was the fact that there were lots of old memorabilia forgotten in the pocket folds. Ticket stamps from stores, business cards from shady agencies, even foreign currency he forgot to tuck away. Bringing it out, another memory from three years ago resurfaced.

* * *

_  
“Rei-kun! Why did you bring that here?!” _

_ “Relax, I ain’t gonna show it off to anyone if that’s what yer worried about.” _

_ “You may not even think it! What if it falls out and someone else finds it?” _

_ “This thing’s so packed, I highly doubt that’d happen. What, you gotta better place to hide it? Maybe between yer thighs?” _

_ “Ugh, stop~ really, I don’t get it, why would you risk bringing that here?” _

_ “What can I say? I just like the picture a lot, princess. Put it in a laminate slip an’ everything. Didn’t you say it was the one that came out the best?” _

_ “I did, but...It’s still mortifying to think that anyone else but you would ever see that.” _

_ “Don’t worry. It’s the picture you inspired me to take. I just wanted a li’l reminder of you when I was feelin’ down on myself, give this vampire his ray of sunshine. You feel me?” _

_ “...” _

_ “Oh? Oh, I shoulda brought my camera. Yer cheeks’re so pink an’ with the yellow lighting goin’ on in here, yer the spittin’ image of those ass-out babies in cathedrals.” _

_ “...You just went out of your way to pretend you don’t know what the word for cherub is in order to call me something vulgar, didn’t you?” _

_ “Maybe.” _

_ “Why do I like you?” _

* * *

Preserved a little after he first took it, discovered that he kept it in his wallet after they confessed to each other, and forgotten after they fell apart. The laminate slip had preserved the film photo throughout many changes within the past three years, smudges of dirt and scratches remaining on the plastic instead of the picture proper. Hiyori’s sixteen year old face, caught in an expression far too seductive for its own good despite the distress he’d been going under from having the camera pointed at him at all. His hand rested itself with fingertips just underneath the bite marks Rei had placed on the boy’s neck. Rei, the one that stood in the present day, felt his teeth ache at the sight, shifting his weight on his feet and recalling  _ exactly _ why he liked this photo so much.

“Why did you...” Hiyori trailed off as he stared at the photo held out in front of him, as if the subject matter was a different person altogether. “I don’t understand. Rei-kun, why would you keep this on you?”

Did he answer that he honestly forgot? Or rather, that he forced himself to. Terrified at his potential own reaction upon seeing the image; distressed over the idea of one day finding it and immediately holding it over a lighter. The boy in the picture had as strong an effect over him as the man before him, and Hiyori’s proximity was enough to set Rei’s heart aflame once again. That was the reason why he kept it tucked away for so long; it just needed to be thawed out.

“Even though our past is rife with sorrow—“ Rei stopped himself, brushed his bangs to the side of his face with a sigh and began again. “We’ve had our fair share of bad an’ good memories. When we were apart, I didn’t wanna remember any of them, they all hurt the same. But when I’m with you now...It’s strange. I only remember the good. I only remember how I loved you.”

Amethyst eyes lifted from the photo and stared directly at Rei, their color clearer than ever. The golden spotlights in the room struck the lines near his iris and brought out thin lines of blue, and Rei found himself re-tracing the maze he made for himself within them.

“Hey,” Rei spoke again, raising up a hand with fingers splayed loosely and his palm out towards Hiyori, “about what you said earlier. D’you really think it’s the case that we repel each other? Usually opposites attract, don’t they?”

Hiyori observed the hand and then Rei’s face. Gingerly, he let his curled up fingers spread out and raised his hand until it was even with Rei’s own. Rei pressed his fingertips forward, causing Hiyori to still his side of the motion before mirroring the action. Their digits brushed just before their palms met, and by the time they did, Rei was pinching his thigh with his other hand that still held the photo. Was he always this ridiculously warm? So warm that it hurt? Yet the idea of letting go hurt more. His fingers squeezed down on the back of Hiyori’s hand, and the man mimicked the action.

“I still love you.”

It came out in a sob, a whisper that was beyond broken. That voice that had been singing so joyously just a moment ago, it fell apart, and Rei was the reason why. He stared at the man falling, falling further into the boy that he once was, when love was scarier than he dreamed it could ever be, and at the same time as exhilarating as ever. Rei pocketed the photo and made a mental note to put it away properly this time, because he suddenly felt an itch to take a lot  _ more _ .

His other arm made the first move. Wrapping itself securely around Hiyori’s waist, the boy was the one to break their handhold in order to claw his way around Rei’s shoulders. Fire from the sun brushed against his cheek softly, and he used his icy hands to securely lock the flames in place in his arms.

“I love you too,” Rei whispered into the man’s ear, lips brushing up against the skin and recalling all the nuances to his flavor. “God, I missed this.”

Embracing this tightly without it evolving into something more was impossible. Rei had proven himself right, but he wouldn’t brag. Like two magnets connecting at polar ends, their lips clashed. Hiyori’s breath was as sweet as ever, the taste of sake clinging to his tongue like an addictive salve. Brought back in so easily, as if the years of isolation didn’t affect them at all. Hiyori was slightly bigger in his arms, but Rei had grown too in his own ways. The flames burned, but he didn’t fear melting anymore.

“You taste different,” Hiyori murmured a little after they broke, foreheads connected.

“Smoke finally cleared from my mouth?” Rei guessed.

“Mm,” Hiyori hummed softly, “it’s nice. Now I can taste you properly. You underwent some good changes, though I wish your sense in fashion grew with you.”

“Oh? Like how yours did?” Rei tugged at the back of the ribbed turtleneck Hiyori wore and smirked. “I think you’d look a lot more fitting in this if the back was cut off.”

“It’s too cold for that!” Hiyori exclaimed. “My virgin killer looks best when I’m wearing nothing  _ but _ it anyway. Ah, if your partner is alright with a little infidelity like mine are, maybe I can let you see me in it~”

“........”

“Rei-kun?”

“..................”

“Rei-kun, you’re erect.”

“I apologize, it appears as though my age has warped my hearing and I cannot seem to understand the last few sentences you have attempted to say. Would you terribly mind repeating those for me?”

Hiyori’s hands slunk around Rei’s collar and began to drag him backwards, further and further back until Hiyori’s knees hit the back of the couch he was sat upon earlier. A smile as brilliant as a summer day shone upon his cherubic face, and he dragged Rei over him while he fell backwards and did as requested.

“You~ are~ e~ rect~!”

* * *

“Whaddya mean Sakuma-senpai ain’t here anymore?” Koga rubbed the back of his head in the irritated fashion he usually did. Kaoru couldn’t help himself and pat the top of the high school senior’s messy grey hair, to which he received a frazzled grunt and shrug away from his touch.

“...Sakuma-kun and Hiyori-kun are resolving an important conflict,” Nagisa answered, eating the crepe being held out to him. “...It’s important that we give them space. Thank you for inviting us out, Jun.”

“Ah, yeah, no problem, Nagi-senpai,” Jun nodded, careful in his grip on the crepe and trying his hardest to not smudge any creme on the man’s face.

“It’s kinda bold of you, Sazanami-kun~” Kaoru giggled, reaching out to pet Jun as well but finding him far more adept to avoiding unwanted touches. “Asking out your senpai on a date when he’s already on one, I’ve never even done that.”

“I wasn’t asking him on one  _ tonight _ ,” Jun corrected, sticking adorably close to Nagisa’s side. “I’m not the kinda person who can so easily compete with Ohii-san anyway~ I just wanted to try this crepe place and knew Nagi-senpai would like it. Guess it’s just my luck this turned into a double date.”

“...Fufu, and me and Kaoru-kun were already on one~” Nagisa hummed, wrapping an arm around Jun’s waist and causing the blue junior to yelp. “...Our plans may have altered, but they haven’t fully deviated from the spirit of our intentions.”

“Funny how that works~” Kaoru agreed as he mimicked the open display of affection and linked his and Koga’s arms. “And hey, our dates this time are only just getting acquainted! Koga-kun, how well do you get along with cats?”

“Ugh, get  _ off _ of me,” Koga tugged hard and managed to free himself, up until he turned to see the pathetic expression Kaoru wore. With a heavy groan, he allowed himself to get recaptured, Kaoru wearing an all too disgustingly satisfied grin in response. “I don’t even get your question, where’s there a cat?”

“Eh? Right there!” Kaoru pointed to Jun, who was attempting to discreetly take a bite from the same place where Nagisa had bitten into their crepe.

“Wha—wait, cuz he’s a hyena?” Koga furrowed his brow. “Ain’t those dogs?”

“...Actually, they’re closer to cats,” Nagisa corrected, “they’re members of the Hyaenidae, which is a suborder of Feliformia. It’s understandable you might be confused, considering their snouts. But yes, Kaoru-kun is correct. Eden’s well-tamed beast is the stray kitten Hiyori-kun saved~”

“Oh,” Koga shrugged, eating the crepe Kaoru held up to his mouth, “yeah I guess cats ain’t all bad. Nothin’ compared to dogs though.”

“Nn, yeah, dogs’re good,” Jun agreed, “the one Ohii-san and I found last year’s real cute. Since he’s outta his dorm at the moment, we could always go see her~”

“Wait, seriously?” Koga perked up so much that Kaoru couldn’t help but give the junior a squeeze. That resulted in a yelp of retaliation, attempting to push back the overbearing senior. “Argh, c’mon! What’s up with you, Hakaze-senpai?!”

“Uu, Rei-kun’s probably doing karaoke without us by now,” Kaoru whined. “This night didn’t go how it was supposed to at all~ Now Koga-kun hears Sazanami-kun offering to introduce Tomoe-kun’s child, and suddenly Koga-kun is probably thinking he’s found the perfect mate for Leon!”

“Wha—HEY!” Koga resisted Kaoru’s scarily tight grasp even harder. “I didn’t even mention Leon!! I can be excited to see a dog without thinkin’ about him matin’, I’m not horny like  _ you _ .”

“...How delightful,” Nagisa smiled, “let’s go at once.” Taking Jun’s hand, Nagisa let his red-faced junior lead the way while Koga fought to follow with a clingy depressed Kaoru at his side. Off back at the karaoke bar where the two seniors left their companions, there was far more singing and dancing than either of them could ever know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s the end aaaaaa
> 
> Ty to everyone who’s kept up w this week long journey and 25k words. All the kudos are much appreciated and I’m happy you all enjoyed this hypothetical crackship as much as me~ It’s unlikely for me to do another reihiyo fic soon but who knows, maybe once they *actually* interact we can try again in a more canon-verse :’)

**Author's Note:**

> This entire fic wouldn’t be possible if Meri didn’t put the reihiyo brainworms in my head so long ago, so this fic is dedicated to them! Go follow me on twt @nagisenpai, and thanks for reading!


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